Minotaur
by scifi-karis
Summary: The Atlantis team find themselves trapped in an underground world full of hostile people and creatures.  Shep whump.  COMPLETE.
1. Awakening the Beast

PSG-492. A strange world, to put it lightly. There was no sky.

McKay wasn't quite sure what it would be like after seeing the images on the probe, but so far it was proving to be as odd as the pictures they had seen. An underground society surviving with no known knowledge of the world above - or a way to get there.

The room the Stargate was situated in was small, but various openings led outwards into dark corridors. The only light in the place came from the symbols on the gate. Thankfully, it was bright enough they did not need to pull out their own lights.

They had been greeted at the gate by a small band of short, stocky men who carried wary looks and approached the Atlantis team cautiously, stopping just within the archway of a door close to the gate. Sheppard and Ronan's hands instinctively tightened on their guns as the foremost man approached them.

"Who are you?" the man demanded.

"My name is Colonel Sheppard," John responded, stepping down from the gate's platform. "This is Dr. McKay, Teyla and Ronan. We were wondering if we could look around a bit."

"I am Gatak," the man replied. "No one has come through the Stargate in many years."

McKay stepped forward. "Do any of your people go through the gate?"

"No," the man shook his head. "This chamber is avoided. It is taboo to enter."

Sheppard raised an eyebrow. "May I ask why?"

The men looked around nervously. Gatak pulled back and replied, "The beast resides in this chamber."

McKay suddenly felt worried. "Beast?"

"It only stays here," Gatak replied. The men looked up, and the Atlantis team followed their gaze. The chamber, though small, was tall enough and dark enough they could not see the ceiling.

"Well, no offense to you guys," McKay said nervously, "But I'd like to exit this taboo chamber as quickly as possible."

"May we?" Sheppard indicated towards the doorway the men stood in. They silently parted and the Atlantis team entered a long, dark and spacious corridor.

"I shall take you to Fayne," Gatak said, pushing past them.

"Who is Fayne?" Sheppard asked.

"She is our leader," Gatak replied.

Sheppard hefted his rifle, and with a nod to his team, began to follow Gatak down the dark passageway. The men accompanying them took out what appeared to be glo-sticks - long, thin, yet very bright lights that cast away the shadows around them. Sheppard estimated they had walked nearly two miles before exiting the passageway into a large, brightly lit room with a high, cathedral ceiling. This room was teeming with life, and at the far end, a woman sat in what could only be described as a throne. She was beautiful, dressed in a white, flowing dress with dark hair and eyes and pale skin. Sheppard estimated she was in her thirties.

The woman regarded the small group with cold eyes as they crossed the expansive room towards her. People were sitting in small groups around the room, chatting and doing various other jobs, but the woman on the throne sat alone.

"Gatak," she said. "Who are these people?"

"They have come through the Stargate," Gatak said, bowing low.

The woman leaned forward, her eyes widening. "What?"

She looked at the Atlantis team, scrutinizing them with dark eyes. "Who are you?"

"My name is Colonel Sheppard," Sheppard replied, then indicated to the rest of his team. "This is Teyla, Dr. McKay and Ronan. We're explorers."

"There is nothing to explore here," the woman replied coldy. "You have committed a grave crime."

Sheppard could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Ronan bristled beside him. They were all too familiar with the strange customs of other planets and had oftentimes broken serious rules or traditions without realizing it. Sheppard had learned it was best to speak up immediately if it appeared things might go south.

"We aren't aware of your people's customs," Sheppard began. "If you could enlighten us, we'll do our best to amend the situation."

"Colonel Sheppard," the woman formed his name slowly, testing her pronunciation. "I am afraid there is nothing you can do to amend this situation."

"Are you Fayne?" Sheppard asked.

"I am."

"You are leader of your people?"

"Yes."

"Since we have intruded on you, I would like to ask if perhaps we can sit down and talk about this. We are a peaceful people and —"

"Enough!" Fayne waved her hand. "Gatak, has the beast been awakened?"

"I am uncertain, my lady."

"We can't be too sure." Fayne stood, clutching the train of her flowing white gown in one hand as she descended from the throne's platform. "Take them to the chamber."

Before the Atlantis team could react, Gatak and his men had overpowered them, their stocky frames and quick reflexes no match for the Atlanteans. Sheppard had his gun wrenched from his grasp, then a kick to the back of his knees brought him down as a muscular forearm wrapped itself around his throat before he could defend himself. He tried to reach for his knife at his side and his arm was quickly twisted behind him in a painful shoulder lock. The other members of the team were brought down in a likewise fashion. Sheppard felt panic rising when the man who held him put pressure on his jugular. Black spots danced before his eyes and in less than a moment, he was unconscious.

* * *

_AN: Please read and review!_


	2. Minotaur

For some reason, it was as though Gatak's men had sensed that McKay wasn't of the fighting type. After quickly rendering Sheppard, Ronan and Teyla unconscious, they left McKay, his arm twisted painfully behind him, conscious.

Almost immediately, they started to drag the Atlanteans back down the corridor they had just come from. McKay threw a desperate look at Fayne, then shouted, "What are you going to do?"

Fayne regarded him coldly, then turned and vanished into another corridor next to the throne.

It was a painful walk back to the Stargate, and McKay's hopes were high that the men were going to let them leave, but after being deposited unceremoniously back in the Stargate's chamber, McKay noticed the DHD was just outside the room. As he scrambled to try and get back through the door, Gatak planted a boot in his stomach and sent him sailing across the room before activating a door, effectively sealing them in the chamber.

"Great, that's just great!" McKay cursed, then moved to Sheppard, Ronan and Teyla, shaking them awake. The three were groggy and disoriented, but then quickly recovered when they realized their situation.

"So the DHD is outside?" Sheppard asked.

"Yes, that's what I said!" McKay replied.

"Any way you can rig the Stargate to activate without the DHD?"

"Not a chance," McKay snapped. "Not without equipment. They didn't leave us with much."

"I've got my knife," Sheppard said, patting himself down.

"I have no weapons," Teyla said.

"Neither do I," Ronan shook his head.

"Great." Sheppard swept the small chamber with a careful gaze. "Did they say what they were going to do with us?"

"Hmm, put us in an underground chamber that's taboo in their culture ... Doesn't sound like they had anything nice in mind," McKay complained.

Suddenly, there was a low growl from above them. Sheppard leapt back to the side of the chamber, followed closely by his teammates. They gazed anxiously into the blackness.

"Does anyone feel like we're in the middle of _Return of the Jedi_, here?" McKay hissed.

Rocks crumbled down from above as something moved in the darkness.

"Find a place to hide," Sheppard whispered. He and his teammates felt along the side of the walls for any crevice to squeeze themselves into.

Suddenly, the rocks started raining down again and the shadows moved.

"Oh my —" McKay started.

Red, glowing eyes appeared in the darkness, gazing down on them, then the beast's body emerged from the shadows. It was a huge animal, bigger than an elephant, with a body and head resembling a mix between a bull and a lion and huge paws with long, sharp claws. The beast was black with long white horns on its head, and it bared sharp teeth as it growled again.

"We're gonna die," McKay squeaked.

"We're not gonna die," Sheppard hissed.

"Actually, I think I'm with McKay on this one," Ronan said.

Sheppard shot him an annoyed glance and quickly began calculations.

They had one weapon, his knife, and no way out of the chamber. If this thing turned out to be deadly, it was probably going to be a kill-or-be-eaten situation. Even so, Sheppard didn't like waiting for the beast to make the first move. Animals were unpredictable, but after living in the Pegasus Galaxy for a few years now, something to keep into account was that this creature might be intelligent.

The beast was using the rock outcroppings to slowly climb down the walls, and it did not appear comfortable with climbing. Sheppard guessed that it slept or hibernated high up in the walls but didn't spend its time climbing. That was one thing to their advantage and he put that thought on the sideline.

"It's coming closer," Teyla warned.

"Any plans, people?" Sheppard asked.

"You have the knife!" McKay said.

Sheppard stepped in front of the group and waved at the beast. "Hi there ..."

The animal froze and growled menacingly, then with a gigantic leap, it roared and landed heavily on the ground. The floor shook and more stones clattered down the sides of the walls.

"I can distract it for you," Ronan murmured. "Give you time to get to it."

Sheppard scrutinized the animal carefully, trying to figure out where it's weak spots may be. The beast loomed over the small group, and then it raised a paw and swept it towards them. The four scattered, diving and rolling across the floor in an attempt to escape the vicious claws.

Choosing that moment to make his move, Ronan ran towards the beast, grabbing one of its paws and clambering up towards its back. The beast roared and batted at the man. Sheppard raced towards the distracted beast, getting under its belly and slashing upwards with his knife. A hot spray of blood hit him as the beast roared and clawed at him. Ronan was thrown off and landed dazed on the ground. Sheppard tried to duck out of the way, but one of the beast's paws caught him in the side and sent him sailing through the air into the side of the chamber. There was a sickening crunch as he hit the side and he felt to the ground, stunned. A strange heat was spreading along his torso, and as he shook his head in an attempt to clear the stars fogging his vision, he saw bright red blood covering his right side. Dully, he realized the beast's claws must have caught him when it threw him to the side. Strangely, he wasn't in any pain.

"John!"

Teyla's voice of warning made Sheppard look up just in time to see the beast looming over him, it's teeth bared and right paw raised as it prepared to crush him.

Acting entirely on instinct, Sheppard pushed himself up, hefted the knife, and threw it straight into the animal's gaping mouth. The beast staggered back, screaming in pain. Collapsing to the ground, it flailed its limbs for a few minutes, twitched, then was still.

With a groan of pain, Sheppard fell back to the ground, the pain from his wounds finally hitting him. There was a flurry of movement at his side and the dim sound of voices. He was gently rolled over onto his back, but the pain from his side caused a flareup of agony. Something didn't feel right. His limbs were shaking and the stars that had continued to spiral above his head were cascading into night.

* * *

_AN: Please read and review!_


	3. The Long Night

_AN: Thank you to everyone so far for the reviews/comments! I love reading them and it encourages me to keep writing! Hope you enjoy the next installment and hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas!_

_

* * *

_

Teyla was horrified at the extent of John's wounds. The beast had clawed him in the right side and the flesh was torn deeply enough she thought that she could see bone. McKay had been sick when he saw the extent of the damage but was struggling to stay and help. To make matters worse, John's eyes had rolled back and his body shook with convulsions. Teyla was sure the beast had something in its claws - perhaps poison - else there would have been no reason for the convulsions.

It took several minutes for John's body to relax and even then, he was rigid in pain, his eyes tightly closed and every muscle in his jaw taut. Teyla had ripped her jacket into pieces and was trying to apply pressure to the wounds in his side with McKay's help. The blood was soaking through the improvised bandages as though they were not there, and Teyla was worried at how much blood John was losing. His skin was beginning to take on a greyish hue and it was cold and clammy to the touch.

Ronan was banging on the door and trying to use brute strength to bash it down. He had checked on the beast after Sheppard had made his miraculous throw with the knife, and it was definitely dead. He had pulled the knife from the animal's mouth, cleaned it, then slipped it into his boot.

"Ronan," Teyla said, "Please help."

Ronan reluctantly moved away from the door and knelt next to the Athosian, putting his hands over Sheppard's wounds so Teyla could take a break. Her hands and forearms were covered in blood and trembling from exertion.

At that moment, the door opened, and Gatak and his troop of men stood in the entryway, warily looking at the dead beast in front of the Stargate. McKay stood up and marched over to them, his hands, too, covered in blood.

"Were you trying to kill us?" McKay demanded angrily.

"Is it dead?" Gatak asked.

"Yes, it's dead," McKay said in annoyance. "We need help. Colonel Sheppard's been injured. If you just let us get to the DHD we can go home and be out of your hair."

"I'm afraid that will not be possible," Gatak said. Suddenly, his voice had turned cold and he touched what appeared to be a longsword at his belt. "You will come with us."

"This man is dying," Teyla said desperately. "He needs a doctor."

"Get a stretcher," Gatak ordered one of his men.

While the designated man left for the stretcher, Gatak and the rest of his men entered the chamber cautiously, taking out their swords and backing Ronan, McKay and Teyla against the wall away from Sheppard.

"I thought this place was taboo," Ronan commented.

"You have killed the beast," Gatak responded. "This changes many things for us."

The man who left reappeared moments later with a stretcher. Teyla noted with dismay the growing pool of blood under John. Two men maneuvered John onto the stretcher, then set off down the corridor. Ronan, Teyla and McKay were bound with heavy rope and then accompanied down the passageway after the Colonel. Teyla could see Ronan's eyes flickering towards the knife concealed in his boot, but she could tell he had decided the time was not right. There were too many men and though they were small, these men were powerful and had easily taken them out earlier.

They were met at the entranceway to the throne chamber by Fayne.

"Take them to the prison," she ordered.

"Sheppard needs a doctor," McKay protested. "He'll die if he doesn't get help soon."

"We have the best doctors here," Fayne answered. "He will be treated. That does not mean that you escape your fate."

"What is our _fate_?" Ronan demanded.

"This is not the time or place to talk of such matters," Fayne hissed. "Take them away."

It was another long and dark trek to a low ceilinged chamber with iron bars dividing the place into several small cells. A strange mist swirled across the floor and the air was cold and damp. McKay and Ronan were shoved into one chamber and Sheppard's stretcher was placed in a cell next to theirs. Teyla was placed in the cell opposite. Their bonds were not removed.

"We have called a doctor," Gatak told them.

Sheppard's breathing had become ragged and shallow, and Teyla watched his every breath with worry. Ronan and McKay stood at the side of their cell facing Sheppard. They were nearly within arm's reach of the man but could do nothing for him. Gatak and his men had spread out around the prison area and Teyla suspected that these were this world's version of a military or armed guard.

Only moments later, a small statured man rushed into the prison area. He had two assistants and they were directed to Sheppard's cell. They quickly set up a small table and moved Sheppard's stretcher onto it. Teyla watched everything they did carefully.

The doctor looked up at Ronan and McKay and asked them, "Are you with this man?"

"Yes," McKay replied.

"What happened to him?"

"That beast thing by the Stargate clawed him."

The doctor shook his head as he pulled up Sheppard's shirt to see the damage. "The beast has poison in its claws and fangs. It will take long for him to heal completely."

One of the assistants took out a mass of green vegetation from a bag they had carried with them and began mixing it up and mashing it in a large wooden bowl.

"These herbs are rare," the doctor explained as he took out a needle and thread and began sewing up the worst of Sheppard's wounds. "I hope for your sake he survives for our lady will not be happy we were forced to use these on him. Nothing else will save his life, otherwise."

Sheppard was shifting on the stretcher, flinching at the touch of the needle. The doctor motioned to one of his assistants to hold Sheppard's shoulders in order to keep him still.

Once he finished sewing the wounds, the doctor took the paste the assistant had made and began applying it to Sheppard's side. Sheppard moaned and Teyla could see him struggling to regain consciousness. One of the assistants took a rag out of the bag, dipped it in a liquid substance and then held it over Sheppard's nose and mouth. The Colonel struggled for a moment, then went limp.

"What was that?" Teyla asked.

"We had to put him to sleep," one of the assistants answered. "We would not be able to manage him if he awakens. He will be in great pain."

It took some time for the doctor and his assistants to pack the herbs into Sheppard's side and then wrap it with clean cloths. Teyla noted the herbs must have done some help for the bleeding had stopped.

The doctor finished, wiping his hands on a clean cloth, and turned to look at them. "Now we go," he said. "I can do no more. He will have a fever tonight. If he can get through that then he will live."

The doctor and his assistants left Sheppard on the table and disappeared down one of the corridors. Teyla pleaded with Gatak to let one of them stay with Sheppard, but the man turned away without a word.

Eventually, all of Gatak's men disappeared. Teyla felt her eyes growing heavy and realized it was probably late at night. Ronan kept vigil by Sheppard's side of the cell and McKay paced impatiently, occasionally testing the iron bars.

"Cut me loose," McKay said to Ronan after a few minutes, offering his wrists to the man.

"I don't think it's a good idea right now," Ronan replied.

"What?"

Ronan looked at the empty doorway then turned to McKay and said quietly, "I don't want these guys to know we have a knife. As soon as they know that we've lost the advantage. Our hands are tied in front of us so we can move and we can still do things."

"When _is_ the time going to be right?" McKay hissed.

Ronan turned back towards Sheppard. "I'll let you know."

The night was long, and the few flickering torches that dotted the walls dimmed over the hours. Sheppard was restless on the table and Teyla was worried that he might fall off. He cried out in his sleep several times and Teyla wondered if he was dreaming about the beast or if it was his wounds causing him pain. Her eyes drooped and though she tried her hardest to stay awake, before she knew it, Teyla was asleep.


	4. Reginn the Skillful

_Thank you to everyone so far for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! Hope you enjoy the next installment. Extra long this time!_

_

* * *

_

Sheppard was aware of the pain flaring in his side for a long time before he was conscious of his surroundings. He was hot and soaked with sweat. The pain in his side wasn't a dull ache, it felt as though someone had grabbed a handful of knives and stuffed them in his ribs. It was a sharp pain, one that made him catch his breath in agony when he finally opened his eyes.

"John?"

He heard Teyla's voice but could not see her.

"John, don't try to move."

Of course, he couldn't help but move. He couldn't see Teyla, and a rocky ceiling above him made him momentarily forget where he was. Slowly, he turned his head and saw he was on a wooden table in a cell surrounded by metal bars. Rodney and Ronan were leaning against the other side of the bars on his left, asleep. There was no sign of Teyla.

"Teyla?"

"I'm here."

Sheppard looked down his torso and saw across the way another cell that Teyla had been placed in, separate from the rest.

"What's going on?" he slurred. He put his head back down. The effort to keep it up was too great, and something was pulling on his ribs, increasing the pain.

"You have been injured," Teyla answered. "The doctors here have tried to fix you."

Sheppard felt his side and saw a mass of bandages poking through the torn material of his t-shirt. He briefly remembered the beast taking a swipe at him and groaned at the memory.

"Hurts like hell," he gasped.

"You have been unconscious nearly three days," Teyla responded. "We were not sure if you would survive."

Ronan and Rodney hadn't stirred from their places. Sheppard wondered how late it was at night.

"What happened?"

Teyla sighed. "We were captured by Gatak and his men after you collapsed. We tried to persuade them to let us back through the Stargate but they have not been open to negotiations. They claim they have sealed the Stargate's chamber so that no one else may enter or leave."

Sheppard groaned, in pain and in annoyance. "Crap."

"Sheppard?"

McKay had blinked awake and pushed himself to his feet, clutching the bars. John saw that his hands were bound.

"McKay." John tried to struggle to a sitting position. "You haven't broken us out of here yet?"

"Well, that's kind of difficult when the place is made out of rock and iron and nothing else," McKay snapped.

John bit back a cry of pain as he managed to sit up on the table, clutching his side. "Okay ... That's fine," he gasped.

McKay softened. "Sorry." After a minute of watching Sheppard struggling to breathe, McKay added, "We thought you were going to die."

"Glad I don't remember that," John replied.

"You should rest," Teyla said.

Sheppard shook his head grimly. "We need to get us out of here."

"That's going to be kind of hard to do if we have to carry you," McKay said.

"You won't have to carry me," Sheppard argued. He gingerly set his feet on the ground and tried to stand. It proved to be harder than he thought, and he swayed, leaning against the table's edge. "Anyone have any water?" Suddenly, he was terribly thirsty.

McKay moved to the other side of his cell, waking Ronan as he picked up a small clay pot.

"Sheppard," Ronan said, quickly standing. "You okay?"

"Fine," John managed to grit out. "Feels like someone stabbed me and left the knives in."

McKay thrust the clay pot through the bars and Sheppard managed to push his way over to him, leaning heavily on the bars when he reached the man.

"It's water," McKay said. "Should be clean. We haven't gotten sick from anything they've given us yet."

"Swell." Sheppard took the pot and drained its contents. It was the best water he had ever tasted in his life, sweet and cool and refreshing.

"The doctor comes every day to check on you," Teyla said. "They have never tried to get you to drink or eat."

"You're probably severely dehydrated," McKay said. "Wish we had more water."

Sheppard immediately felt guilty. "That was your only water?"

"Yeah."

"Have they been feeding you?"

"A couple times a day. Disgusting stuff, but we aren't starving."

"Great." Sheppard looked around the cell, noting the bars fused into the rock above and below them. "Any idea what they want?"

"I have tried to ask Gatak on several occasions," Teyla explained. "He refuses to answer. I have even tried to ask to speak with Fayne."

"They've pretty much been ignoring us," McKay added. "They just come in to check on you, feed us, and that's it."

At that moment, Fayne entered the prison area, accompanied by Gatak and a small army of men.

"You are awake," she said, coming to a stop in front of Sheppard's cell.

"Apparently so," he replied dryly.

The woman sniffed as if in contempt. "Then it is time to take you to see Reginn."

"Who is Reginn?" Sheppard asked.

Fayne raised an eyebrow, then motioned for Gatak and his men to open Sheppard's cell.

"Reginn the Skillful. He is wise, dark and versed in magic," she replied. "He rules over Niflheim."

"Niflheim?" McKay brightened. "That's from old Norse mythology. It means Myst World, roughly."

"Apparently Reginn has been waiting for you," Fayne said to Sheppard as Gatak and his men hustled the Colonel out of the cell. They bound his hands in front of him with thick rope and then, with a man on each arm, they pulled Sheppard out of the cell area.

"What about my friends?" Sheppard demanded.

Fayne had led the way in front of the entourage and did not stop to look back. "They hold no importance to us," she replied.

It was a long walk through twisting dark passageways, made even more strenuous for Sheppard who limped badly due to his wounds. He ended up being half carried, half dragged for the last kilometer.

They emerged at last in a large, spacious chamber, hewn out of black rock and with a strange mist swirling across the floor. The torches and light-sticks that the men had carried did not cast much light into the chamber, but in the middle of the vast room stood a man.

Sheppard was dragged straight to the man's feet, then pushed to his knees on the ground. Gatak and his men backed away respectfully. Sheppard managed to straighten himself but was glad to be off his feet. He looked up into the man's face and gave a slight shudder.

The man was tall, perhaps about Ronan's height. A dark fur cloak was slung over his bare, muscular shoulders. He wore a tight leather suit that revealed a musculature that Sheppard was sure he didn't want to mess with. His eyes were unnaturally black and his hair was long and tangled, mingling with a short dark beard. He wore a silver band around his head and his hand rested on the biggest sword Sheppard had ever seen.

"Fayne," the man boomed, his voice deep and imposing.

The woman stepped forward. She did not bow but stared the man fiercely in the eye.

"Is this he that you have spoken of?"

"Yes, Reginn."

The man grabbed Sheppard's jaw and turned his face towards the light.

"The legends are true," he murmured.

"Who are you?" Sheppard asked, trying to pull his head away.

The man dropped his hand and looked down at Sheppard.

"I am Reginn the Skillful. What are you called?"

Sheppard tried to draw himself up but realized he probably could not stand. "Lt. Colonel John Sheppard," he replied. "United States Air Force."

"A long title," Reginn chuckled. "What are your skills?"

Sheppard thought that an unusual request. "Um ... I'm a pilot. And an explorer. Our people were exploring when we came through your Stargate. We didn't realize that the place was off limits so maybe we can work something out and we can leave you guys alone."

"We have sealed the Ancient's circle," Reginn replied. "You will not be going back. Where are you from?"

Sheppard's thoughts raced as he considered his options. It was a gamble to tell the man that he was from Atlantis, but most had not heard of Earth.

"I'm from Earth."

Reginn regarded him carefully. "An Earthman." He turned away for a moment, then lowered his head. "The legends spoke of the Jotun who would come to us from the earth. Odin's trials must be reawakened."

"Odin?" Sheppard's head snapped up. "Odin the god?"

"Yes. Our father," Reginn replied. "He set us in this place and left us his last words. In those he included his oracle for you, Earthman."

"I can tell you that it didn't include anything about me," Sheppard said incredulously. "We're just explorers."

"Odin described you to the detail," Fayne broke in. "You match the description. He said that you would destroy the beast that guards the Ancient's gate to the stars. No one has been able to do this for centuries."

"I guess you weren't trying hard enough," Sheppard muttered, incredulous that no one had tried to get rid of the giant beast before.

"Silence!" Reginn swung his fist into the side of Sheppard's head and left the man sprawled on the floor, stunned. "Do not speak to her that way!"

Sheppard swallowed back a metallic taste in his mouth and pushed himself back to his knees. He thought he felt a warmth spreading down his side and hoped the stitches hadn't ripped. These people didn't seem open to negotiation, but he thought he would try again.

"Look," he coughed, "we were just looking for people to trade with, make friends with ... We can talk about this a little more —"

"We are done speaking." Reginn walked a few paces away from the Colonel. "You must begin the trials. Tomorrow."

"What if I don't want to begin these trials?" Sheppard was beginning to feel a little annoyed. These people didn't seem to listen very well.

"You have no choice," Fayne responded. "Gatak."

Gatak and his men lifted Sheppard off the floor and they exited the chamber, making the long trek back to the prison cells.

By the time they had reached the cells, Sheppard was exhausted. His wounds in his side had reopened and he could see the red stain spreading over the white bandages. He was thrust unceremoniously into his cell and he landed on his knees, unable to push himself to his feet.

"Sheppard!" McKay was at the side of the cell in an instant with Ronan. "What did they say?"

"They think we're part of some oracle," Sheppard said, grimacing at the pain in his side. "They want me to start some trial of Odin tomorrow."

"Odin?" McKay snapped his fingers. "This is all starting to make sense!"

"Who is Odin?" Teyla asked, pressed against her side of the cells.

"Odin was a Norse god," McKay explained. "SG-1 encountered Thor's hammer. Thor was from the Asgard. Maybe Odin was as well? This doesn't seem very much like the Asgard, though."

"The guy I met was named Reginn," Sheppard said.

"Reginn ..." McKay thought for a moment, then said, "My Norse mythology is a bit rusty, but I think that Reginn was the guy who made a sword that was so sharp, it could cut an anvil in half, and a piece of wool that was set on the blade was cut in half without any pressure put on it. He was a craftsman and a very wise man, but also planned his brother's death. Not a nice guy."

"No," Sheppard gasped, "I didn't get that impression when I saw him."

"You are in no shape to be participating in these trials, no matter what they may be," Teyla said.

"I'll go in his place," Ronan said.

"Thanks, buddy," Sheppard managed to pull himself to his feet using the table. "I'd be happy to let you, just not sure if they're going to be okay with that."

"Fayne said before you left earlier that we weren't important to them," McKay said. "Did you try to talk to them? See if they can let us go?"

"They said they sealed the Stargate." Sheppard managed to sit on the table and held his side, hissing in pain.

"Your wounds have reopened," Teyla said.

"Yeah. Nothing really I can do about that ..."

Sheppard was starting to feel woozy.

"Sheppard?"

The familiar pounding of blood through his body and tunnel vision indicated Sheppard was about to pass out, and he could do nothing to stop it as he glimpsed the floor reaching up to grab him.


	5. Garmr

_Thank you all once again for the reviews and alerts! They keep me writing!_

_

* * *

_

Sheppard woke up early the next morning, his stomach grumbling in hunger. He felt weak and lightheaded but managed to pull himself to a sitting position. Ronan, McKay and Teyla were asleep. The Colonel managed to get himself to the edge of the table and then stood on shaky legs.

Gatak and his men chose to enter at that moment. The clatter of their weapons on the iron bars woke the other three Atlanteans, and Sheppard drew himself to his full height as they unlocked the door to his cell.

"It is time," Gatak said.

They wound rope around Sheppard's wrists and led him out of the cell.

"No!" Ronan shouted after them. "Leave him here! Take me instead!"

"It's okay, Ronan," Sheppard said over his shoulder. "I'll be back in no time."

It was a hollow reassurance, as he still was uncertain what these people wanted from him in the first place.

He was again taken along the long, dark passageways to Reginn's chamber. The mist swirling along the floor gave the room a cold edge. He managed to keep his feet this time, and when they shoved him before Reginn, Sheppard stubbornly drew himself up and looked the man in the eye.

"You are ready to begin the trials of Odin?" Reginn asked quietly.

"I can't say that I am, actually," Sheppard replied sarcastically. "I have no idea what these trials even involve."

"You must be strong of body and mind to complete the trials," Reginn said.

"Can't say I'm exactly strong of body at the moment."

"You have defeated the beast that guards the gate of the Ancients. You will be ready. First, you must face Garmr."

"Who's Garmr?"

Reginn did not reply, but motioned to Gatak and his men to take Sheppard away. Sheppard was getting quite frustrated that no one was answering any of his questions. These people were too mysterious for their own good.

They made another long trek that seemed to go deeper into the caverns, through twisting tunnels and long corridors. Sheppard knew he would never be able to find his way back again. The place was turning out to be an underground labyrinth.

Gatak and his men finally emerged at the edge of what appeared to be a narrow overhang which surrounded the chamber on all sides. The overhang looked down on a forty foot drop to a rocky floor beneath surrounded by the massive, stone cave walls.

"This is the only entrance," Gatak said. "My men and I will guard this door. You may not leave until you have faced Garmr and defeated him."

"Who is Garmr?" Sheppard demanded.

Gatak was silent. He took his sword and cut Sheppard's bonds, shoving him further into the cavern and nearly pushing him over the edge of the overhang. "Garmr resides within." With that, a door closed, effectively trapping Sheppard within the chamber.

He immediately began to move, wary that whatever it was that he was about to face was probably an animal. The smell of dank fur and rotting flesh filled the cavern, and he could hear something moving on the floor beneath him.

The cavern was surprisingly light. Sheppard couldn't tell where the light was coming from, but he suspected that it had something to do with the light sticks that Gatak and his men carried everywhere with them as the light was a bright white, even color. A bit of mist floated across the ground, and Sheppard noted where it seemed heaviest, thinking of cover.

The chamber was surrounded by the high walls that Sheppard was now moving along, and he saw a narrow staircase carved into the rock leading down to the floor. He wondered if he should descend or wait until whatever it was he was supposed to meet decided to emerge. Wisdom told him to wait, and as he crouched behind a large rock, the mist on the floor beneath him swirled suddenly, revealing a giant, shaggy wolf. The thing was probably as big as a horse, with long, shaggy grey hair and an ugly, hound-like head.

"You've got to be kidding me," Sheppard whispered. "Garmr's a giant wolf ..."

Garmr began to sniff around the cavern, sensing the presence of another living being in his territory. He growled, low and deep, his eyes glinting red in the light.

Sheppard immediately began going through options in his head. He didn't have long to plan anything as Garmr pinpointed his location and took a massive leap, trying to grab the edge of the overhang with his paws. He snarled menacingly when the jump proved to be too much for him. Sheppard moved back to the very edge of the wall, realizing that the wolf had nothing pleasant planned for him.

Garmr snarled, shaking his head, clearly annoyed that he could not reach his prey.

Thinking quickly, Sheppard noted the loose rocks near to him and grabbed the largest ones, heaving them down at the giant wolf. Garmr yipped when a particularly large one hit his shoulder. Sheppard wasn't sure how long he could continue throwing rocks at the animal when he felt the pain in his side beginning to throb anew. He resorted to throwing left handed, then started running out of rocks. He moved along the overhang, looking for more weapons.

The wolf circled below him, snarling and occasionally leaping up to try for the ledge again. It appeared the stairs were too small for the giant and he was clearly trapped. Sheppard didn't think Gatak was going to let him out until the beast was finished, however.

Suddenly, Garmr took another giant leap, this time catching his paws on the overhang, his snapping jaws within inches of Sheppard. Startled, Sheppard pressed himself against the wall, aware that the wolf was going to try to drag him down into the chamber. He didn't quite have enough room, however, as the animal pawed at him, hooking his boot and causing Sheppard to trip and fall to his knees. Garmr managed to bite down on Sheppard's right boot and began to pull backwards.

Desperate, Sheppard kicked at the beast's face with his left foot, landing a few solid blows before Garmr let go and dropped back down into the chamber. He was sure from the pressure of Garmr's bite he might be left with a severe bruise. Thankfully, his military issue boots were tough enough the animal was unable to pierce the covering and Sheppard was left unharmed.

It was time to get nasty.

Sheppard moved along the edge of the wall and Garmr followed him closely, just under the ledge incase the Colonel should lose his footing and make a fateful drop. The man had spotted a particularly large boulder and was hoping he would be able to push it down.

The large rock was sitting precariously on the edge of the overhang, and Sheppard managed to lever himself between the wall and the rock. With his back supported by the wall and his feet against the boulder, Sheppard pushed, aware that Garmr's snapping jaws seemed to be jumping higher and higher. He could see the top of the wolf's head as it leaped up, trying to get to him once more.

It was times like this that he really wished he had Ronan. He didn't seem to be quite strong enough to push the boulder, but inch by inch, it _was _moving. Finally, with one more push from his trembling legs, the boulder moved, tumbling over the side of the overhang.

There was a startled yip from below, then a bloodcurdling howl.

Sheppard slid to the ground and crawled to the edge of the overhang. Garmr lay half crushed by the boulder, his back end under the massive rock. Blood was beginning to pool under the wolf and as he turned to look up at Sheppard, the man saw the light in the animal's eyes dim as it snarled at him. Nevertheless, Garmr continued to struggle against the rock for several more minutes, his movements slowing, then finally ceasing as the animal breathed its last.

The door at the other end of the overhang opened and Gatak peered out, his men crowding behind him.

"Garmr is dead!" Gatak exclaimed.

Sheppard leaned back against the wall, holding his side. It felt like someone had grabbed it in a vice and was trying to split it open and stab as many knives as possible into his ribs. His ankle was throbbing as well. That wasn't going to help any escape plan now.

His breath hitched and he found it difficult to breath as Gatak and his men rushed over to him, pulling him to his feet. He was unable to hold back a cry of agony as they manhandled him over to the door and out into the corridor. He let them drag him down the long passageways back to Reginn, not really caring what happened to him at that point and just trying to ride out the waves of pain washing over him. The wounds had reopened and blood was soaking the bandages once more.

Gatak and his men threw Sheppard at Reginn's feet once they entered the chamber and stood back respectfully.

Reginn regarded Sheppard with an amused expression. "You have defeated Garmr."

Sheppard did not reply, instead concentrating on pulling enough breath into his lungs to breathe properly.

"He did not touch Garmr or leave the overhang," Gatak offered. "Garmr was crushed to death by the rocks."

"Interesting." Reginn circled around Sheppard. "Earthman, how is it that you could defeat Garmr without descending into the chamber below?"

When he received no reply from the human, Reginn grabbed a handful of Sheppard's hair and jerked him upright. Sheppard gasped in pain.

"Answer me, Jotun," Reginn demanded.

Sheppard could feel consciousness starting to slip away. At this point, it was a totally welcome and familiar feeling.

When he again received no reply, Reginn hauled Sheppard to his feet and bodily threw him across the room in anger. Sheppard crashed against the nearest wall and submitted gratefully to the darkness.

* * *

McKay worried when they did not bring Sheppard back that night. He was almost certain Gatak and Fayne would get Sheppard to do what he was needed to do then bring him back. The absence made him wonder if perhaps the Colonel had failed at whatever task it was that these people had set for him.

"Do you think he's still alive?" he ventured to ask Ronan at one point.

"What are you talking about?" Ronan scoffed. "Sheppard's a fighter. Injured or not, he's going to make it."

McKay did not want to suggest that Ronan's voice had a hint of uncertainty about it.

Altogether, they had been prisoners for five days. McKay noticed he was starting to smell quite rank and he was certain he had lost weight. The food they had been given was not quite enough to sustain his demanding diet. He was also certain that he was going to come down with pneumonia. The cells were humid and chilly. The constant mist did nothing to alleviate the temperature and the darkness of the place made it seem colder than it actually was.

Frankly put, McKay could probably put up with the bad food and the cold. It was the boredom that was going to do him in. He was used to sitting at computers for hours every day with something to do and something to work on and stimulate his brain. Five days of sitting on his hands was enough to make him start to wonder if he was going to go mad.

Frustratingly, Teyla and Ronan seemed to be handling the boredom quite well. The first three days when Sheppard had been lying unconscious in his cell, Ronan paced constantly, nearly driving McKay nuts. Once he was sure Sheppard was fine, the man had settled down and sat quietly in the corner of the cell, staring at the torches lighting the outskirts of the prison area. Teyla had settled into her meditations and that left Rodney with nothing to do but pace like a madman and work out random equations in his head in order to keep himself from going crazy.

Day six arrived with still no sign of Sheppard. McKay really worried, now.


	6. Just A Bit of Magic

_I am so mean to Sheppard ..._

Please keep the reviews coming! :-)

* * *

John woke with a groan, feeling the familiar stabbing pull at his side as he tried to open his eyes.

It was dark all around him, but the persistent rocky face of the caves hovered in his eyesight everywhere he looked. He was cold and shivered with the dampness and the pain as he rolled to his side and pushed himself to his feet.

It appeared he was still in Reginn's chamber. The man stood in the middle of the cavern regarding Sheppard silently. A large, stone chair had been set up in the middle of the chamber on a dais and was illuminated with a strange white light from above.

"You are weakening," Reginn said to Sheppard. "Your wounds are grave."

Sheppard said nothing, waiting for the man to make the first move. His mouth was dry and he wondered how long he had been unconscious.

"Please, eat and drink," Reginn motioned to Sheppard's right and he saw a small table with a tray of what appeared to be a large hunk of bread, cheese and a tankard of water. He needed no encouragement and pounced on the food and drink, downing them in minutes. He wondered how long it had been since he had last had a meal. His pants had definitely felt a bit looser since he arrived.

"Come," Reginn beckoned to Sheppard when he had finished.

Sheppard warily approached the man, limping heavily. He noticed something in the man's hands but could not tell what he was holding in the deep shadows. He was feeling a bit stronger from the food, but he knew it wouldn't take him long to go down if Reginn wanted to fight.

"Please," Reginn motioned to the chair. "Sit."

"I'd rather stand," Sheppard replied.

Reginn smiled. "I am afraid you have no choice in the matter."

He grabbed Sheppard by the shoulders and bodily hurled him into the chair.

The man was strong, Sheppard had to give him credit. Only Ronan might match him in strength, and even then, Sheppard was doubtful. He tried to push himself back out of the seat, but Reginn slammed his hand into Sheppard's chest, effectively pinning the Colonel into the chair.

Sheppard grabbed the man's forearm in an attempt to dislodge his hand, but suddenly, thick restraints snaked out of the chair, wrapping themselves around Sheppard's arms, torso and legs. He could not tell what the restraints were made of, but they appeared to be some kind of malleable stone, as the chair itself, and they had managed to pin him into the chair without Reginn moving to aid them.

"What is this?" Sheppard demanded.

Reginn smiled. "Just a bit of my magic."

Sheppard pulled against the restraints but was unable to move. One had wrapped itself across his chest, another across his hips, and several bound his upper and lower arms and legs. There was no way to move anything but his head. He felt his heart rate elevate in apprehension but kept a calm demeanor. No use letting this guy know he was panicking.

"Jotun," Reginn began, "You have defeated Garmr."

"Why do you keep calling me Jotun?" Sheppard asked. "My name's John."

"Jotun is who you are," Reginn replied. "You can do nothing to change that. The legends have foreseen your coming and so far, everything you have done is according to the letter of the trials of Odin."

"To hell with the legends," Sheppard spat. "Let me and my friends go. What have we done to you?"

Reginn stepped up to the chair and swung a fist into Sheppard's temple, whipping his head around. He saw stars and was temporarily disoriented.

"You curse the legends?" Reginn hissed. "You cannot escape your fate."

"I do it all the time," Sheppard replied dryly.

"Tell me," Reginn continued. "Where is this place that you come from?"

"A long ways from here."

"Where?" Reginn backhanded Sheppard, and the metallic knobs on his hand guard caught the Colonel's skin, leaving a deep cut on his left cheek. A warm trickle of blood oozed down the side of his face.

"Milky Way Galaxy," Sheppard gasped. "As if that means anything to you."

Reginn growled, deep in his throat. "You are playing with me, Jotun. I do not like people that play with me."

Reginn withdrew the item that he had been holding earlier, and Sheppard saw a short, thick metallic rod, heavily inscripted with what appeared to be runes.

"The Truthsayer has made many a man speak his secrets to me," Reginn said, fondling the metallic rod. "You _will_ tell me where you are from and anything else I ask of you."

"Why do you want to know where I am from?" Sheppard asked.

"Jotun ... The legends say you will defeat the fiercest of our beasts and warriors. If you can do this, you come from a very dangerous race indeed."

Sheppard felt his heart race.

Reginn turned dark eyes upon the Colonel. "Jotun, if one Earthman can defeat our greatest, your kind are a force to be reckoned with." He slapped the metallic rod onto his open hand, and the end crackled with blue energy. "Now tell me. Where are you from?"

Sheppard gritted his teeth. "Go to hell."

The metallic rod shimmered, and Reginn lashed out, a ribbon of energy striking the Colonel, enveloping his body and leaving every nerve on fire.

John screamed.


	7. Trials and Torture

_AN: Another little update. Please keep reviewing, especially you lurkers out there! It keeps me writing!_

_

* * *

_

Ronan leapt to his feet when a flurry of movement at the prison entrance caught his eye. Gatak and his men were dragging Sheppard down the stone walkway between the cells. The man seemed to be a dead weight and when they reached his cell, they were forced to carry him inside and leave him as he was unable to stand.

Teyla pressed herself against the bars of her cell in order to see him better.

John lay sprawled on the floor, but Ronan could see him moving, his body trembling. He was covered in sweat and new bruises and cuts marred his face and arms. The bandages on his side were again bleeding through.

"Sheppard," Ronan knelt down next to the bars closest to the man. McKay stood above him, recognizing how badly the man was wounded but not sure what to say.

John flinched at the sound of his name but did not look Ronan's way.

"John." The Satedan used the man's first name, trying to get a reaction out of him.

John pushed himself to his hands and knees, shaking badly.

"What did they do to you?" Ronan asked gently.

Sheppard's breathing was ragged and he seemed to be having a hard time drawing breath in. He finally gave up on trying to push himself upright and fell to his side.

"Sheppard, what did they do to you?"

"Garmr," Sheppard gasped.

"What?"

McKay gasped. "Garmr was a hellhound." He pushed in next to Ronan, trying to get closer to Sheppard. "What about Garmr?"

"I killed him," Sheppard murmured. "Reginn ..."

"Reginn what?"

Sheppard coughed. "Thirsty."

McKay scrambled for their bowl of water and passed it through the bars to Sheppard. The man reached out for the bowl and tried to drink. He was shaking so much that he spilled half of what he drank.

"Reginn," Sheppard began again. "Think he has something up his sleeve."

"Did he do something to you?" Teyla asked.

"Magic," Sheppard replied, grinning. "But not magic. Something like a taser ..." He leaned back, holding his side with a pained expression. "God ... it hurts." He lay still, trying to breathe for a minute, then added softly, "Hela is next."

"Hela?" Ronan asked.

Sheppard didn't reply, and Ronan saw his eyes had closed.

"Who is Hela?" he asked McKay.

"I'm thinking this is bad," McKay replied. "I think ... I think that Hela was the ruler of Hell. I'm not for sure, though. I could be wrong."

"Hell in your world is a bad place, correct?" Teyla asked.

"A _very_ bad place," McKay responded.

* * *

"_Why did you come through the circle of the Ancients?" Reginn demanded again._

_Sheppard's head lolled against the back of the chair. He was unable to focus through the pain and started laughing._

_Reginn again lashed out with the Truthsayer, the blue electricity flickering rapidly along Sheppard's body and causing him to convulse against the restraints until it dissipated._

_Sheppard kept laughing. It was odd, sometimes, what pain could do to a man. At the moment, he felt invincible._

"_Speak!" Reginn snarled. He struck Sheppard with the weapon, whipping the man's head around sharply and causing the electricity to course through his limbs again. Sheppard was losing control of his body and could feel spit starting to dribble down his chin._

"_Let me ask you something," Sheppard said, forcing himself to stop laughing. "What is the point?"_

"_What?"_

"_What's the point of all this?" Sheppard repeated. "Trials and torture. What do your legends say about that?"_

_Reginn turned away suddenly. Sheppard was sure he caught a glimpse of terror in the man's eyes._

"_Our oracles speak of your coming," he answered softly. "The legends also speak of our demise shortly thereafter." He turned back to Sheppard, the energy crackling at the end of the rod. "I would like to keep all of that from happening."_

_Sheppard was confused. "But why? Why go through the trials, then? Postpone everything. Go against what the oracle says you should do."_

_Reginn laughed softly. "To do that would be to go against hell itself."_

_He raised the Truthsayer once more._


	8. Resolution

_AN: Time for a little tender, loving care ..._

_

* * *

_

Teyla worried about John. Gatak and his men had brought the Colonel into the cells only a few hours ago, and the man was incoherent. Nothing he was saying now made sense. It was clear that he had been through trauma of some sort, and Teyla was angry enough to try and do something about it.

"Gatak!" she called out.

She kept calling the man's name until he appeared, disgruntled and clutching his longsword.

"Where is the doctor?" she demanded.

"He doesn't need a doctor," Gatak replied.

"He is wounded," Teyla insisted. "If he is to stand any chance at surviving these trials that you are putting him through, he must be strong enough to stand. You refuse to allow any of us to be with him and he has not eaten or drank anything. He will die here if nothing is done."

Gatak looked behind him to where John lay on the floor of his cell, covered in a thin sheen of sweat and muttering incoherently under his breath.

"Fine." The man motioned for Teyla to step back from the door of her cell.

With her hands still bound, Teyla knew that Gatak was certain she would not try anything. She was not planning on anything heroic, however. Her only concern was for her teammate.

Opening the door to her cell, Gatak entered and steered her out of the cell. He opened the door to John's cell and shoved her inside.

"You can stay with him tonight," Gatak said.

"Thank you," Teyla nodded her head.

As Gatak left, Teyla swiftly knelt down next to John, surveying the extent of his wounds. He was moaning, his eyes tightly closed, and seemed unaware of her touch as she searched for any new injuries.

His skin was grimy and his clothes dusty, the days' old scruff on his jaw only making him look more dirty. A deep cut had opened on his cheek and she noted bruising on his arms and wrists that indicated he had been restrained at one point.

She moved to his torso, lifting his tattered shirt to check his wound that the beast from the Stargate's chamber had given him. A large bruise crossed his chest and she could see another dark bruise near the waistband of his pants. It was difficult work with bound hands, but after carefully unwrapping the bandages around his torso, she saw that the herbs were doing their work. The deep gashes were starting to heal and the wounds looked clean. She rewrapped the injury and moved down, checking his legs. Again, through tears in the fabric, she could see bruising on John's legs, and after removing his boots, she saw the damage from Garmr. John's right foot was a mass of dark purple bruises, but the skin was not broken. She hoped that no bones were broken but it would be difficult to tell until they got back to Atlantis.

Atlantis. Teyla wondered what Dr. Weir must be thinking now and what she had done to try to get to them. She knew that Weir would not give up on them, but pondered at what Gatak and Fayne had done to seal the Stargate's chamber if no one had come to rescue them yet.

After asking McKay for his bowl of water, Teyla took a rag and began to wipe the grime and dirt off of Sheppard's skin, making sure that his cuts stayed clean. He flinched at the touch of the cool water but did not react otherwise.

After cleansing John the best she could, Teyla tried to get him to drink from the pot of water that had been left in his cell earlier by one of Gatak's men. He seemed to have slipped into unconsciousness, but she knew the importance of staying hydrated. She tipped the water into his mouth, little by little, and forced him to swallow by gently stroking his throat.

"How is he?" McKay asked at one point.

"It is hard to say," Teyla replied, rearranging John's clothing and trying to make him more comfortable. "He has more injuries, but his side is healing well."

"Think he could make it to the Stargate if we break out?" Ronan asked, slipping a hand to the knife hidden in his boot.

"I doubt it," Teyla responded. "I am not sure if his foot is broken, and we do not know what these people have done to seal the Stargate's chamber. It may prove impossible for us to leave, even if we do escape."

"We can't just keep sitting here," Ronan argued.

"And I agree," Teyla snapped, her patience wearing thin. "I would like to escape from this place just as much as you, but we must wait."

"Every day that goes by he gets worse," Ronan indicated to John. "We need to get out of here."

"If we find out how they sealed the gate, maybe we could make a more concrete plan," Rodney suggested.

"How shall we do that?" Teyla asked.

Ronan grinned. "I have a plan."

* * *

_AN: Please keep the reviews coming! I love reading them and they keep the updates coming sooner rather than later! :-_)


	9. Trial Within A Trial

_Happy New Year everyone! Wishing you all the best in 2011! Please keep the reviews coming! This is a slightly longer chapter as I'll be away for a few days so those of you that haven't read all of the chapters so far should have time to catch up ... and press the review button! I accept all forms of feedback! :-)_

_

* * *

_

Sheppard was awoken by a loud clanging on the bars of the cell. His head was comfortably pillowed against Teyla's lap and he did not want to get up. He was given no choice, however, when one of Gatak's men entered the cell and forced Teyla up and into the corner where he held her while two others entered to take Sheppard out of the cell.

"No!" Ronan threw himself against the bars of his cell, shaking them with the force of his blows. "Take me! Take me instead!"

Gatak ignored the Satedan, and the three Atlanteans were forced to watch as Sheppard was dragged out of their sight.

Once again, Sheppard was brought before Reginn. This time, as he was thrown unceremoniously to his knees before the man, he sensed something different about Reginn's demeanor. The man seemed ... cautious, as though he were afraid to be disapproved of.

"Jotun," Reginn began. "You have shown us that you can conquer the beasts physically. Now you must show us how strong you are, mentally."

Reginn grabbed the collar of Sheppard's shirt and hauled him to his feet, dragging him over to the chair that still sat in the middle of the room. Sheppard resisted, digging in his heels when he saw the contraption. Reginn threw him to the ground and delivered a swift kick to Sheppard's side. If it had been his injured side, Sheppard wasn't sure he would have stayed conscious. As it was, the kick sufficiently knocked the wind out of him enough for Reginn to drag him to his feet and throw him into the chair. The stone restraints grabbed Sheppard and held him fast. No amount of struggling made the bonds loosen.

Reginn paced slowly in front of the chair, regarding Sheppard silently, then he looked to the space behind the chair and backed away into the shadows.

Sheppard heard the rustle of fabric, and then a woman stepped into his view in front of the chair. She stood in the light, regarding him silently. She had long, black hair and pale skin. With a shudder, Sheppard realized she was distinctly Wraith-like, but when she opened her mouth to speak, her voice was low and sweet, unlike the harsh vocalisms of any Wraith-queen he had heard.

"Jotun," she addressed him. "I am Hela."

"My name is John," he replied.

"John ..." She tasted his name, pronouncing it slowly. "Do you know why you are here?"

"I presume because you want to torture me," Sheppard sniped.

Hela grinned. "I do not torture those who participate in the trials of Odin, Jotun. I question."

"Well," John shrugged, "maybe we could start over. Sit down like civilized ... beings. You could start by letting me out of this chair."

"That I cannot do." Hela approached Sheppard slowly and stepped up to the chair. She traced the outline of his jaw with a long fingernail, then trailed her fingers down seductively to his chest. He turned his head away and she grabbed his jaw with her other hand, looking him in the eyes. She said nothing, boring into his brown eyes with her yellow catlike irises. "Do not turn away from me, Jotun," she murmured.

As if on cue, another restraint snaked out of the chair and wrapped itself around Sheppard's throat, effectively holding his head in place. It was not tight enough to cut off his air, but it was just tight enough to warn Sheppard that struggling was not going to do him any good.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"I am Hela," the woman replied. "I have told you this."

Sheppard's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You're not human."

"What you speak is true. You are the only human here, Jotun."

"Then what are you?" Sheppard was determined to get Hela to admit her true colors.

Hela smiled. "I am the keeper of Hell within Niflheim, giver of death and daughter of Loki. I have killed Baldr, the god of light and happiness. Everything that he has resided over I have taken as mine."

Sheppard couldn't help but shudder. This woman might be full of herself, but he could tell from her eyes that she firmly believed every word she had spoken. She still refused to say what he suspected she was, and he decided to ask.

"Are you Wraith?"

Hela froze, her eyes hardening. "Wraith are those whom I preside over. Wraith are those who descend to the depths of my hell and never return. Wraith are the living dead."

For some reason, Sheppard realized that perhaps this woman did not believe herself to be Wraith ... Or perhaps she really wasn't a Wraith and just resembled one.

Hela stepped up onto the podium and leaned in close to Sheppard, looking into his eyes. Smiling seductively, she placed her hand on his chest and then trailed it down to his injured side.

"The poison from the beast still runs in your veins."

Sheppard had tensed when she placed her hand on his chest, expecting the bite of a Wraith to begin sucking his life away.

"Your wounds may be healing, Jotun," Hela said, "but the poison will run deep for a long time." She leaned in closer, emphasizing each word. "It shall be _very_ painful."

Suddenly, Sheppard felt a twinge in his side as her hand left him. The twinge turned into a burn that spread along his nerves and set his skin on fire. He grunted against the pain, determined not to scream in front of the woman. Gradually, the pain subsided into the dull ache that he had become so familiar with the past few days.

"You are a strong man, Jotun," Hela observed.

Sheppard didn't reply, realizing that she was probably going to play this out for a very long time. No need to antagonize.

Hela touched him again, this time on the arm, her voice smooth and seductive in his ear. "Where do you come from?"

The pain flared again, this time spreading from his arm to the rest of his body. He jerked against the restraints, his body instinctively trying to get away. Half choking, he was only able to relax once the pain subsided again.

"Answer me," Hela demanded. "Where do you come from?"

Sheppard shook his head, as much as the band around his throat would allow. He wasn't going to give her any hints, especially if it did turn out that she was Wraith.

Again, she touched him, this time on the knee. The pain flared, and this time, it felt as though someone had methodically taken each bone in his leg and broken it, setting his nerves on fire. This time, he could not help but scream.

Smiling wickedly, Hela gripped his knee, and Sheppard was sure all the bones were shattered.

"Let's take this somewhere else, shall we?"

Hela reached up and with both hands placed them on either side of Sheppard's head, and suddenly, he was engulfed in a swirling cloud of mist that rapidly turned to red dust, swirling around him and causing him to lift his hand to shield his eyes.

He lowered his hand as the dust dissipated and saw he was standing in the middle of a vast desert. A red, alien sun hung in a purple sky, glaring red hot over a sunbaked landscape. The desert floor was hard and cracked, and in the distance, Sheppard could see mountains. Turning to check out the rest of his surroundings, he saw Hela standing behind him, her white dress turned to black.

"Welcome to my domain, Jotun," Hela said, spreading her arms wide and laughing.

Sheppard looked down, realizing that his body was whole. No injuries were causing him any pain and his shirt and pants were no longer torn. Something wasn't right, though. The landscape around him shimmered, and he blinked rapidly, trying to focus.

Moving closer to Sheppard, Hela looked at him then motioned to the desert around them.

"What do you think?"

Shaking his head, Sheppard realized that he was incredibly confused. How did he get here? Had she transported him somehow? Or was this even real?

"Where are we?" he asked.

"This is Hell," Hela responded.

Frowning, Sheppard turned, looking at the area around him once again. "This isn't like any hell that I know of."

"Hell in Niflheim is not the hell that most people believe in," Hela said. "Hell is where all warriors go when they die."

As her words sank in, Sheppard felt his heart drop into his stomach. "Am I dead?"

Hela grinned. "No. Far from it, Jotun. I have brought you here that you may continue the trials of Odin. If you fail, you will remain here forever."

A hot wind whistled around Sheppard, and the breeze ruffled his hair, causing a slight relief from the heat around him.

"First, you must face Fenrir," Hela said.

She stood aside, and Sheppard saw a man standing a distance behind her. How he had not seen the man before he did not know.

"Fenrir the Wolf," Hela murmured as she stepped next to Sheppard, sliding a seductive hand along his shoulders. "A word of advice ... He will be the strongest man you will ever meet, but his weakness lies in his arrogance."

Hela released her touch on him, then, as a strong wind blew across the plains, she disappeared in a swirling cloud of dust.

Sheppard stood still, regarding the man in front of him. He was a tall man, with a resemblance to the ancient Vikings. Long, matted hair merged with a long, dark beard. His clothing resembled Reginn's in that it was mostly leather, but he wore a fur covering that was thrown over his shoulders like a cape. He appeared to be weaponless, but the muscles rippling in his legs and arms made Sheppard think that perhaps the man could tear him limb to limb without the aid of a weapon.

"So ..." Sheppard started, "You're Fenrir?"

The man growled, his dark eyes narrowing.

"You are the Earthman, the Jotun," Fenrir said, his voice deep.

"I prefer to go by John," Sheppard replied.

"Today is your day to die, _John_," Fenrir hissed.

"Can't we just sit down and talk this through?" Sheppard said desperately. Why did it seem like everyone was out to kill him?

"In order for the legends to be true, you must fight," Fenrir said, moving in closer. "You will die by my hand today, Jotun."

Sheppard warily moved back. The sun was getting hot and he could feel heat waves rising from the baked earth beneath him. Was he expected to defeat this guy with his bare hands? There was nothing that he could use to defend himself. No sticks, no loose stones, nothing. He didn't particularly want to kill the man. It wasn't part of his nature to just up and kill someone when he was ordered to. He would defend himself, and if it meant that he had to kill Fenrir, he might do so.

Moving back a little more when Fenrir moved forward, Sheppard decided he would cross that bridge when he came to it ... That is, if Fenrir didn't kill him first.


	10. Fenrir the Wolf

_AN: Thank you to those of you who are still reading! Please keep the reviews coming! I love reading them!_

_

* * *

_

Ronan had been planning his escape for days now, using the hours of meditation captivity had forced on him to focus on a plan to get to the gate and get his teammates out of Niflheim.

"What's the plan?" McKay demanded.

"You're staying here," Ronan grunted, reaching down into his boot for the knife and sawing carefully through the rope at his wrists.

"But I thought the idea was for _us_ to escape!"

"Look," Ronan's patience was wearing thin. "This place is a labyrinth. I remember how to get to the gate, but do you? If you get lost, what are you going to do? I'm going to see what they've done to the gate and whether or not we can get back to Atlantis. If it looks like we can get through, I'll get you and Teyla out. No use getting more of us killed than necessary."

"Fine." McKay sulked.

Ronan slipped the knife into the lock and expertly flicked it open after a few twists.

"Cover for me if they come back," Ronan said to Teyla and McKay. "I shouldn't take long."

With that, Ronan raced off to the entrance of the prison area, finding it empty as he had suspected. For the first few days that they had been captured, a few of Gatak's men had guarded the entrance to the prison. After nearly a week and their prisoners had not escaped or attempted to escape, the guard had gone lax. Ronan knew they would be somewhere near, however, and he slipped cautiously through the passageways, hiding behind rock outcroppings and in various niches and crevices when someone would pass by. He discovered a nearby chamber in which the guards appeared to carry out their recreational activities. He wasn't certain, but as he peered in on his way down the passageway, he thought he saw one of their radios in the corner, a piece of information he filed away for future use.

It took him nearly a half hour to reach the Stargate's chamber in this way. There were no guards at the entrance to the chamber and he saw that the only door leading to the place seemed to be firmly shut. He searched around for a control panel, and finding none, placed his hands on the door's smooth surface, feeling across it for any seams or any indication as to how to open the door. The door remained smooth and featureless.

Ronan knew that the door must be very strong, for he was sure that Atlantis had probably sent a probe and then a team through when they had not returned as scheduled. They may have used various tools on the door to no success and the door revealed no damage on his side.

Seeing the DHD in the corner of the passageway outside of the chamber, Ronan wondered if whoever had been sent through had managed to return to Atlantis without the DHD. More likely than not, Weir had ordered that no one go through until a plan had been formed as to how to dial back. If they had not been able to find a way to dial out without the DHD, perhaps a team had not been sent at all.

Frustrated at his lack of information, Ronan returned as swiftly as possible to the prisons, slipping back into the cell with McKay and twisting the rope that had bound his hands for so long back around his wrists.

"Well?" McKay hissed.

"They've used a door to close the chamber," Ronan said. "I tried to find a panel or something to open it but couldn't find anything." Reluctantly, he added, "I think you need to take a look."

"Brilliant," McKay said dryly. "So when are we going?"

"Soon."

* * *

With a snarl, Fenrir leaped forward, his hands outstretched, reaching for Sheppard's throat. John deflected the man, stepping to the side and throwing his arm up to ward off Fenrir's hands.

Fenrir retaliated by moving in closer to spar Sheppard, throwing a fist towards his jaw. Sheppard ducked and threw an uppercut at the man. Fenrir's head snapped back at the contact and he growled in anger.

Backing away, Sheppard held his hands up. "Look, I don't want to fight. I don't want to kill anyone. I just want to get me and my friends home."

"You have no choice, Jotun," Fenrir growled, suddenly extremely wolf-like. "If you choose not to fight here, I shall kill you and you shall never escape."

Fenrir again grappled with Sheppard, trying to reach for his throat. Sheppard threw a punch, snapping the man's head around and causing him to stumble back. Growling in anger, Fenrir rushed at Sheppard, trying to catch the Colonel with an uppercut.

Surprisingly, Sheppard realized fighting with Fenrir was quite similar to fighting with Ronan. They both had similar, wild and unpredictable styles. It was a feral way of fighting and Sheppard wasn't too particularly happy to fight in such a disorganized manner. He was a military man, with black belts in various martial arts, but it still surprised him when it came to fighting in the Pegasus Galaxy. He had to reach deep down within himself and realize that this was going to be tooth and nail, Fenrir's life or his.

As Fenrir attempted to throw several punches at Sheppard's head, the Colonel blocked them, then launched into a powerful kick to the man's midsection. Fenrir grunted with the impact, but managed to grab Sheppard's boot and twist, causing the man to cry out in agony as his knee was wrenched around, and he fell to the ground.

Fenrir was on Sheppard in an instant, grabbing his right hand and pinning it to the ground as Sheppard tried to throw another punch. Sheppard managed to grab Fenrir's shoulder and push back, but the man's weight pinning him down wasn't enough for Sheppard to gain his feet. Desperate, Sheppard head butted the man, sending Fenrir sprawling and giving him enough time to jump to his feet. His knee was unable to support his weight, however, and Sheppard ironically thought that this might have been what the Karate Kid felt like in that final competition.

With a roar of rage, Fenrir dove at Sheppard, not even regaining his feet before trying to down the man again. Sheppard slammed into the ground with Fenrir on top of him once more, his hands closing on Sheppard's throat. Sheppard grabbed Fenrir's hands and tried to pry them off but the man was too strong. Black spots began to dance in Sheppard's vision and he realized that he was going to suffocate to death.


	11. Escape

_Thank you once again for the reviews and favorites! They make me happy! I hope that those of you still reading are still enjoying the story and keep pressing that review button! :-)_

_

* * *

_

"It's time," Ronan said, waiting until the guard who had brought them their food and drink had left. "They won't be back for a good two hours or more."

Carefully, Ronan cut McKay's bonds and unwrapped his own before picking the lock to his cell once again. After freeing Teyla, the trio carefully traversed the path that Ronan had taken only hours before.

When they came upon the chamber that Ronan had discovered earlier, they found most of the men inside drunk or asleep. A few were quietly playing a game in the corner, but the boulders and niches in the cavern's walls provided ample cover for Ronan and Teyla to find what they were looking for. In all, they managed to recover one radio and two guns, one of which was Ronan's.

Exiting the chamber, Ronan tossed the radio to McKay.

"Don't I get a weapon?" McKay hissed.

Ronan gave him a look that McKay knew to be one which he shouldn't question.

They continued on their way, finding appropriate hiding places when others passed, until they came to the branch in the passageway leading to the Stargate. There, they met Gatak himself, who brandished his longsword when he saw the trio.

"What are you doing?" Gatak demanded.

"Escaping," McKay said. "What's it look like we're doing?"

Ronan pointed his gun at the smaller man's head. "I'd suggest you drop the sword. This can do a lot more damage."

Wisely, Gatak did as Ronan said. Ronan produced some of the rope that he had saved from the cells and proceeded to tie Gatak's hands behind his back and then lead the group to the Stargate.

McKay took one look at the door and said, "If there's no access panel there's no way I'm going to be able to get us in there."

Ronan turned to Gatak. "Where is the access panel?"

Gatak shook his head. "You think I'm going to tell you?"

"We have done nothing to harm you," Teyla said. "Please, help us."

Gatak shook his head again. "Even if I tell you, I don't know the symbols to open it."

"That's what I'm here for," McKay said grimly.

Gatak hesitated, then his shoulders drooped in defeat. "Fine."

He pointed out a rocky outcropping a few meters from the door and opened a well hidden metal cover that sported several red buttons covered in runes.

"This might take a while," McKay said, surveying the panel. He immediately set to work, removing the cover and pulling out various wires.

Teyla nodded to the DHD. "Ronan, perhaps we can contact Atlantis and let them know we may be returning."

Ronan placed himself in the doorway to the passage, keeping lookout. Teyla took the radio from McKay and dialed through to Atlantis. On the other side of the door, they could hear the Stargate opening.

"Atlantis," Teyla sent through her IDC. "This is Teyla. Do you read me?"

After a tense moment, a voice said excitedly, "_Yes, we read you!_"

Dr. Weir came through on the radio. "_Teyla, where have you been?"_

"We were captured by the people of this world and they have sealed the Stargate's chamber," Teyla replied. "Rodney is working on a way for us to get back through, but we have to find Colonel Sheppard first. He has been taken by the leaders of this world to participate in some kind of trial."

"_Teyla, if you can open the door, we can send some Marines through to help find Colonel Sheppard. Radak was working on some equipment they could bring through so they could activate the Stargate without a DHD, but if you can get the door open we can act more quickly._"

"That may be a good idea," Teyla agreed. "We will keep you updated."

"_Leave the Stargate open until you have word on whether Rodney can open the door or not._"

"Oh, ye of little faith!" McKay yelled out.

At that moment, the massive door slid open.

"The door is open!" Teyla said excitedly.

"_We'll send reinforcements through immediately,_" Weir replied. "_Do they have weapons?_"

"These people have done nothing to harm us, but John is going to need medical attention," Teyla said. "I do not believe unnecessary force will be required, but we do not know what condition he is in at the moment and whether the people with him are dangerous or not."

"They have primitive weapons," McKay said, moving closer to Teyla. "I haven't seen anything more advanced than a sword. It's a Medieval type society, with some relation to the ancient Norse peoples."

"_Acknowledged._"

Teyla let the Stargate close and the small group gathered in the gate's chamber, Ronan and Teyla keeping a close eye on the door.

"You need to take us to Colonel Sheppard," Teyla said to Gatak.

The man suddenly looked terrified. "I cannot do that! You will break the trials!"

"Your way of doing things is not our way," Teyla responded, her voice suddenly low and dangerous. "We must find our friend."

Ronan brandished his weapon and stuck it in Gatak's face. "I can be very persuasive."

* * *

Sheppard didn't know how long Fenrir's hands had tightened around his throat. He was starting to lose his vision, and in a sudden, desperate twist, he managed to get his feet planted on Fenrir's hips and pushed, flipping the man over onto his back and reversing their positions. Fenrir briefly lost contact with Sheppard at the move and Sheppard worked on incapacitating the man, throwing punches at Fenrir's head, left and right.

Fenrir tried to push Sheppard off of him, but the Colonel was desperate, battering the man and knowing that his life depended on whether or not Fenrir was able to get up. What scared Sheppard was knowing that Fenrir _was_ able and willing to kill him. The grip on his throat had left bruises and Sheppard was coughing in an attempt to open his windpipes and get a proper breath in.

With a roar, Fenrir pushed the smaller man off of him, throwing Sheppard to the ground. He aimed a boot at Sheppard's midsection and connected solidly. He cried out, realizing it was his wounded side that the man had aimed at and feeling a familiar painful twinge there, although it appeared he had been healed.

Again, Fenrir kicked Sheppard, over and over, with blows forceful enough that Sheppard was thrown to the side and flipped over several times. He could no longer hold back his cries of agony as each blow landed harder and more painful than the last. It got to the point where he could do nothing to avoid the man's blows and wondered how badly broken his ribs would be at the end of it all.

If he lived to see the end of it all.


	12. Beware Hela

_Apologies for the shortness of this chapter! I figured I had better post something sooner rather than later! Hope you enjoy and please keep the reviews coming! They help me write faster! :-)_

_

* * *

_

It did not take long for Atlantis to send a well equipped team of Marines led by Major Lorne through the Stargate. By that point, Gatak had agreed to lead them to where he believed Sheppard was being held, on the condition that they would let him go as soon as they reached the chamber. Ronan didn't trust the man but reluctantly agreed to the terms, knowing they would have the backup of the Marines. Firepower against swords would surely be an advantage, even if Gatak managed to summon an army of guards against them.

The little man led them through the twisting passageways deep into the ground. McKay was feverishly documenting their course on a laptop borrowed from Lorne, making sure that they could make their way back to the Stargate. They left some of the Marines at the gate to make sure no one would try and seal the chamber again.

Surprisingly, it appeared Sheppard was being held quite a distance from the prisons and from Fayne's chamber. They walked for nearly five kilometers before Gatak motioned that the chamber ahead was the one they were looking for.

As the Marines spread out along the passageway, guns up and eyes alert, Ronan cut Gatak's bonds. Gatak touched his arm as he started towards the entrance to the chamber, a fearful look in his eye.

"Beware Hela," Gatak warned, then he vanished down the corridor.

"Ruler of Hell," McKay whispered when Ronan raised a questioning eyebrow at Gatak's comment.

"We do not know what we will encounter here," Teyla whispered to Lorne. "Do not fire on anyone unless I give the order."

"Yes ma'am," Lorne nodded.

As Lorne and Teyla peered cautiously into the chamber, their eyes widened at the sight before them. Lorne quietly motioned for several Marines to follow him as he ducked into the vast room, using the various outcroppings in the walls as cover.

Teyla held herself for a moment at the door, staring into the middle of the chamber. McKay appeared at her elbow, starting to say something, but then stopping midsentence as he gaped at the two figures in the center of the room.

Sheppard was sitting strapped to a stone chair, restraints encircling his neck, torso, arms and legs. A very tall woman in a flowing white robe with long black hair was bent over him, both hands on the sides of Sheppard's face. The pair were staring intently into each other's eyes, faces inches apart, although whether or not Sheppard had a choice in the matter, McKay was uncertain of. The look in the man's eyes was one of someone who was fighting with every ounce of energy within him against something ... and McKay was sure that it was the woman that he was fighting against. Every muscle visible in Sheppard's body was straining and McKay had a sudden urge to get the Colonel out of that chair.

Sheppard made a noise, what Teyla realized was a small gasp of pain, and her hand gripped tighter on her weapon, wondering what he was going through. She looked at Lorne, waiting for the word to move.

Finally, Lorne signaled, and the Marines rose up from their positions around the room, advancing to surround Sheppard and the woman. Lorne placed the muzzle of his gun against the side of the woman's head.

"Let go of him," he said tightly.

When the woman didn't respond, he cocked the weapon. "I said, let go!"

That was when all hell broke loose.


	13. Surrounded

_Many apologies for the shortness of the last chapter! Please do keep the reviews coming! They kick me into gear on the writing side! :-)_

_

* * *

_

The pain that had exploded all over Sheppard's body as Fenrir's blows fell had seemed to dull. His senses were pounding in time with the blood rushing through his head, and Sheppard was aware that the sky was dimming. Was he dying?

Tired of kicking Sheppard, Fenrir got down on his knees next to the man, brutally turning him over and going for his throat again. Sheppard knew he didn't have the strength to fend off another attack, but in one last ditch effort, he managed to turn away and deliver a kick to Fenrir's face.

The man stumbled back, and then something strange happened. As Sheppard lay panting on his back, Fenrir seemed to change. His snarl of rage morphed into the face of a large wolf, and the man fell to all fours, completing the change into a wolf rivaling the size of Garmr.

_That's it, _Sheppard thought. _I'm going to die._

But as the large wolf loped towards him and Sheppard raised his hands in defense, the world changed, and the yellow eyes of the wolf turned into the yellow eyes of a Wraith.

* * *

As Lorne pressed the muzzle of his gun against the woman's head, a shape loomed over him out of the darkness. A large man resembling an ancient Viking raised a longsword over his head, threatening to split Lorne in two if he didn't think fast.

Lorne stepped back in an instant and the sword swept through the space that he had occupied milliseconds before. Lorne brought up his gun in a smooth motion to cover his attacker, realizing with despair that they were surrounded. From the shadowy recesses of the cave, dozens of men materialized with various weapons in their hands, including longswords and battle axes. The Marines moved closer in an attempt to cover all the men who had seemed to come from nowhere. Ronan noticed Gatak among them and cursed himself for letting the man go.

The Viking growled and stepped forward.

"Who are you that dare interrupt the trials of Odin?"

Lorne wasn't quite sure what to say, but Teyla stepped forward, her hands spread wide to show she had no weapons.

"We are here for our friend," she said, nodding to where Sheppard and the woman still stood locked in their strange gaze. "We want nothing more."

"He must complete the trials," the man growled. "This ground is sacred to us and you have defiled it. This will only make it much harder for him."

"Your _trials_ don't seem to be going so well," Lorne hissed. He indicated towards the Colonel who was sweating and shaking and bleeding from several wounds.

"He will complete them or he will die trying," the man explained, brandishing his sword. "You may not interfere."

"I'm afraid we might have to," Lorne said, signaling his men. The Marines moved closer, brandishing their guns.

"You dare challenge me?" the Viking growled.

Lorne hesitated, knowing he was asking for trouble. "Yes. If it means getting our friend out of here, then yes. We do challenge you."

The man smiled, twirling his longsword expertly, then unexpectedly, he swung it through the air faster than Lorne could act, leaving the Major's gun split in two and sparking on the ground.

Feeling suddenly naked, Lorne stepped back, his hands raised. He could feel a bruise already starting to form on his hand and forearm where the force of the blow had wrenched the weapon from his grasp.

"Let me fight him," Ronan said from his right, twirling his gun on his finger. He touched the sword he had taken from Gatak at his belt, indicating he had more than one weapon at his disposal.

Seeming to obtain another sword from nowhere, the Viking threw it at Lorne, who caught it, holding the pommel awkwardly.

"Your weapons are of no use here," the Viking said.

Lorne brandished the weapon, recalling all of his years of martial arts training and knowing that this might not go down very well. The military on Earth no longer practiced with swords and he had minimal knowledge of how to use them to fight with. The chances of him surviving a fight with the Viking, blade to blade, were slim to none. He knew how to use a dagger, but the weight of the sword in his hand was enough to tell him this fight was going to be very different.

"Who are you?" he asked.

The Viking drew himself up, proving that he was slightly taller than Ronan, and replied, "I am Reginn the Skillful. My swords are sharper than any you have ever touched. My wisdom has not been rivaled in all of the seven seas, and my magic extends to Hell itself."

"I'm Lorne," the Major replied icily. "And we're going to kick your ass."


	14. The Battle Continues

_Many, many, many apologies to all of my readers for the late update! Work has been extremely busy for me lately but I promise this will be finished soon! _

_One thing I thought kind of funny when I was looking at the story stats was that I have more story alerts and favorites than I do reviews ... Hmm ... Reviews keep the chapters coming faster! :-)_

_

* * *

_

Sheppard stared into the eyes of the Wraith who was gripping the sides of his head like a vice. It was dark all around them and he was aware of the various hurts and pains that he had become so familiar with the past few days again making themselves known. So he wasn't healed as the dreamscape Hela had brought him to had made him believe.

What had happened?

He was aware of shadowy movement behind Hela and what sounded like faint gunfire, but was unable to break his gaze away from hers. She had a hypnotic stare and he felt compelled to look at her.

Suddenly, she spoke, but he realized her voice was not coming from her mouth, rather, it was coming from inside his head.

"You have not completed the trials."

Sheppard realized at that moment that if he was unable to break away from Hela's gaze, he may never, truly escape her. He didn't know why he thought this or believed this, but he knew that Hela had the capability to keep him in that chair for the rest of his life. And his life was not going to last much longer if the amount of blood soaking down his side was any indication.

It seemed as though tunnel vision had caught Sheppard's gaze as Hela's eyes bored into his. He could not focus on anything else but those yellow eyes, but he fought desperately to find something else to hold onto, feeling the stone surface of the chair under his hands and scraping at his wounds, and a rush of sounds around him that he could not separate into something that he recognized.

Until he heard Teyla's voice calling his name.

With a gasp, the spell seemed to be broken and Hela turned away from him in one fluid, lightning quick movement, her hands leaving his face. Behind her, Sheppard saw Teyla, a P-90 in her arms and her eyes full of anger. Gunfire seemed to explode all around them and he was sure he saw the flash of swords in the darkness.

"Step away from him," Teyla said.

Hela hissed in a very Wraith-like way. "He is mine!"

"You are Wraith," Teyla observed.

"No," Hela shook her head. "I am Hela. I am the keeper of Hell within Niflheim, giver of death and daughter of Loki."

"You do not realize you are Wraith, or are you denying your heritage?" Teyla persisted.

Hela sneered, her pointed teeth glinting in the light. "Loki was a Jotun like yourself. My mother was a Wraith. I am neither Jotun nor Wraith."

Unnoticed to Teyla, Hela gripped the arm of Sheppard's chair, and the man suddenly gave a strangled gasp. Telya lifted her weapon higher, aiming it at Hela's head.

"Step away from him," she repeated in a dark voice.

Hela grinned. "If you cannot allow him to complete the trials he must die."

Behind Hela, Teyla could see John twitching, his eyes closed tight in pain. Almost imperceptibly, she could see the bonds around him tightening, and his eyes flew open in panic as his airway was constricted, the bonds closing around his chest and throat.

"If you do not step away now, I will kill you," Teyla said, her eyes narrowing in anger.

Hela sneered at the Athosian, and from within the folds of her cloak, she suddenly raised a dagger over Teyla's head, her movements unnaturally quick. Teyla barely had time to deflect the blow with her gun and she whirled around with a low kick to Hela's knees.

As Hela stumbled off of the platform, Teyla let the gun drop, grabbing the woman's hands and forcing the knife down and into Hela's abdomen. Hela screamed, her eyes wide in disbelief as she looked down at the mortal wound. In a Wraith-like hiss, she reached for Teyla, who grabbed her gun and swung it at Hela's head, snapping her neck around and dropping the creature to the ground. When Hela finally lay still, Teyla rushed back to Sheppard.

The man was struggling for air, the bonds around his throat and chest constricting his air supply enough to make his lips turn blue.

"John!" Teyla searched the chair for a control panel, wondering how Hela had managed to make it work when she found nothing but smooth stone.

Suddenly, McKay appeared, panting and holding the laptop one of the Marines had given him.

"Do you see a control panel?" Teyla demanded.

There was no time for words as McKay and Teyla frantically searched around the chair for any indication as to how the alien had managed to manipulate the bonds slowly squeezing the life out of Sheppard.

Seeing the dagger that had finally dispatched Hela, Teyla leapt down from the platform and pulled it from the woman's body, racing back to the chair and wedging it between the back of the chair and the bond around John's neck in an attempt to pry it away from him. Surprisingly, the stone restraint shattered. As it broke into pieces, the man gasped, drawing in sweet air.

"John!" Teyla paused in her rescue, searching his eyes. "Are you alright?"

Sheppard managed a small grin. "I am now." His voice was hoarse and he barely managed a whisper, but Teyla was happy to see him alive and breathing.

"You'll be fine. We're gonna get you out of here." McKay felt as though he was offering a hollow reassurance, but he knew they had to think positive or they would never be leaving the underground world.

Quickly, Teyla worked on breaking Sheppard free of the rest of his bonds and gave a small exclamation of shock when she saw the state he was in. His right side was covered in blood and the stone restraints had chafed his skin until the wounds had bled freely. He was covered in bruises and looked haggard, his eyes full of pain and his skin ashen.

"Can you walk?" McKay asked.

Sheppard didn't answer, his mouth in a grim line of pain as he pulled himself to the edge of the chair, trying to stand. Teyla and McKay both knew he wouldn't admit it, but it was obvious the man wouldn't make it far without help. Teyla quickly moved to his side, supporting his weight and helping him push to his feet as McKay came around to support his other side.

It was then that they realized that they weren't the only ones who were fighting for their lives. At the other side of the room they could see the Marines firing on a group of men with swords and also covering a small battle between Ronan, Lorne, and a very large man with a sword.

"Reginn," Sheppard said. "These guys just don't quit ..."


	15. Flight

_Please keep the reviews coming! I love reading them and they do encourage me to update sooner! Thank you to everyone so far for the kind words! :-)_

* * *

Lorne had never guessed what he was getting himself into when he joined the Atlantis expedition. He had been told to expect the unexpected, but he had definitely never thought that one day he would be fighting for his life with a giant of a man who resembled an ancient Viking ... and fighting with a sword, nonetheless.

Ronan had joined him against Reginn and Lorne was sure that without the Satedan's help, he might have been killed a long time ago. Reginn was fast and strong, and he was definitely as skillful as he had claimed. Lorne had started out using his military knowledge and the various sparring matches he had held with Ronan and others to help him, but eventually he realized he had switched to pure survival tactics, fighting on instinct and barely managing to evade Reginn's lethal blows. If Ronan hadn't been there to counteract several hits that Reginn had made, Lorne would have been cut in two long ago.

Ronan had switched to the sword he had taken from Gatak, realizing that his gun was no match for the larger man's sword and also realizing that Lorne would not be able to hold his own for long against the much larger man. The fighting men were moving too quickly for any of the Marines to get in a good shot without the danger of hitting one of their own, and the Satedan knew that the more men who could join the fray the more quickly this might be ended. He watched for an opportunity to use his gun, however, keeping one hand free in the hopes that the Viking would let his guard down long enough for him to use the weapon.

Nearly ten minutes had passed, and Ronan realized that Lorne was tiring. His movements were slowing and he was barely evading some of the blows from Reginn. Ronan decided the fight had to end. Now.

No matter what the two men had tried, they could not seem to get Reginn in-between them. He was a skilled fighter and knew how to dance around and avoid getting caught in the middle of the two men. Somehow, he always had them in front of him. Ronan decided enough was enough.

"Follow my lead," he nodded to Lorne, then cut towards Reginn, slashing left and right as fast as he could, putting Reginn on the defensive. Lorne used the opportunity to slip up underneath Ronan, stabbing upward into the Viking's abdomen.

The fight abruptly stopped and Reginn froze in shock, realizing he was wounded. His eyes narrowed in anger and he swiped his sword down, intending to cut Lorne's head off. Ronan pulled his gun from his belt in one swift move, aimed, and shot the man in the chest. Instantly, Reginn collapsed.

The battle was over.

* * *

Sheppard and Teyla could only watch as Ronan and Lorne battled with Reginn. The Marines had managed to fight off Gatak's men, and there were a few of the small men who had been wounded. The rest had scattered into the darkness, leaving their comrades behind.

When Lorne had delivered the final blow to the big man, there was a sudden silence. Breathing heavily, Lorne and Ronan turned to check on the Marines. One of the men handed Lorne an extra gun and he checked the loading chamber, a grim look on his face. He looked up and noticed his CO conscious and immediately headed over to the podium.

"Are you alright, sir?"

Sheppard nodded. "Not sure if I can walk, Major."

"That's fine, sir. As long as we get you back."

Teyla knew it pained the Colonel to confess his weakness, but she also knew how dire his condition must be for him to admit it in the first place.

Teyla and McKay tried to support Sheppard's weight as he shakily tried to move from the podium, but he collapsed to his knees with a barely stifled cry of pain. McKay was unable to catch him in time but grabbed his shirt to keep him from falling off the podium. Sheppard's face had gone grey and he pressed a hand to his injured side.

"Sorry ... guys ..." he mumbled. His eyes rolled back in his head and his body went boneless, crashing against the chair as Teyla and McKay tried to support him.

Ronan cursed and loped over to them, shoving his sword in his belt and helping with the Colonel's suddenly limp body.

"We've got to get out of here," Lorne said, wiping blood off of his chin and hefting the gun. "We don't know how many more of those guys are out there and we've got injured." He motioned to a couple Marines putting field dressings on some deep cuts that had been inflicted on them by Gatak's men.

"I'll carry Sheppard," Ronan said.

He relieved McKay and Teyla of their burden, easily picked the smaller man up in his arms. He cradled Sheppard in front of him rather than use the easier fireman's carry, trying not to aggravate the wound in the Colonel's side.

"Let's go." Lorne signaled the Marines and they quickly began to move out.

It was an act of pure military precision as the Marines moved through the underground tunnels and caverns back to the Stargate. McKay was unhappily put at the front to help in assisting the group back to the Stargate. Without his provisional map of the place on the laptop no one except Ronan and perhaps Teyla would have remembered their way back to the gate's chamber.

It was all going too easily, McKay thought. And then they hit a dead end.

"I knew this was going to be too easy!" McKay complained.

"What happened?" Lorne demanded. "I thought you were following the map?"

"I was!" McKay protested.

Lorne felt along the wall in front of them, looking for any indication as to an opening or something to show them the way. Solid rock loomed in front of their lights.

"We have to go back," Lorne said. "Find another way. They must have found some way of blocking us."

Quickly doubling back, they took the next turning which seemed to head down, deeper into the underground passageways. The air was cool and they could begin to see their breath as they moved cautiously down the corridors.

"This doesn't feel right," McKay said. "We should be going up, not down. Our readings when we first came in indicated the Stargate was closer to the surface of the planet. We're heading down right now."

"What's going on?" There was a faint murmur from Sheppard.

"Don't worry about it," Ronan said. His arms were starting to ache with the weight of his load, but he refused to put the Colonel down.

"We are trying to find our way back to the Stargate," Teyla said, gently laying an arm on Sheppard's shoulder. "Dr. McKay believes we are heading in the wrong direction."

"She'll try and trick you," Sheppard said faintly, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"She?" Teyla asked.

"Hela ..." Sheppard rallied, trying to stay conscious. "Don't take the obvious route."

"Rodney," Teyla pushed her way through the Marines to get to the scientist. "Do you believe these people have the capability to change the routes of this place?"

"It'd take a vast amount of engineering," McKay replied. "These guys are still fighting with swords. I don't see how they'd have the technology!"

"Yet they were able to place a nearly impenetrable door in the Stargate's chamber. It required a code to open. They _do _have the technology," Teyla argued. "We just are not sure how advanced it is. Perhaps they have others who can influence our thoughts and misguide us as well."

"True." McKay tapped his chin, looking at the map. "Technically we're heading in the right direction, towards the Stargate. We're just going down instead of up."

"We should continue," Teyla said. "John has said that Hela may try to trick us. I am uncertain what he means by this, but perhaps this is an illusion? Perhaps we should continue in order to test the theory?"

"Let me see if I can get through to our guys at the gate," Lorne said.

He pulled out his radio, signaling the Marines at the gate. "Sergeant Gauthier," he called. "Major Lorne here. Can you see us on the life signs detector?"

There was a pause, then the radio crackled to life. "_Yes sir. Looks like you are about two kilometers north northwest of us, sir. Keep heading in a straight line and you should hit us._"

"Thanks, Sergeant. Radio silence from here. Lorne out." Lorne shoved the radio into his belt and looked at McKay. "Looks like we're heading in the right direction."

McKay shrugged. "Fine. As long as we get out of here."

As the group trudged on through the darkening passageways, the scientist couldn't help the growing pit of fear in his stomach that perhaps they weren't going in the right direction. The path seemed to lead ever downward, and there was no natural light to show their way. Only the flicker of the lights fixed to the Marine's weapons and the occasional flashlight that they had handed out lit their way.

"Should be about one and a half kilometers now," Lorne informed the group, checking his compass. "The passageway's been pretty straight."

In front of them, they could see a large opening in the darkness, and a cool breeze hit their faces. McKay heard what sounded like waves but shook his head. His mind was playing tricks on him.

There was a shout up ahead from one of the Marines that had entered the chamber before them, and as the rest of the group stumbled into the large cavern, McKay realized in shock that they were standing on the edge of an underground lake.

"Can this get any worse?" he mumbled.


	16. Leviathan

_It's back! Sorry for the delay, my dear readers! I've been a bit discouraged with the lack of reviews for the last chapter. Hope there will be more this time!_

_

* * *

_

Lorne and his team of Marines surveyed the lake before them with despair. Even in the pitch black of the cavern the Major could tell the lake was big. The strongest lights from their flashlights showed an endless expanse in front of them.

The lake appeared to be quite still. Small waves lapped at the shore, and there was quite an echo effect in the cavern.

"Spread out," Lorne ordered. "See if there's anything we can use to get across this thing. If we can't find anything we're going to have to go back and find another way."

Ronan had gently set Sheppard down and Teyla and McKay had sat down, exhausted, next to them. Lorne could only imagine what they were going through after being locked up in this place for a week, and now their only escape blocked by an underground lake. So close, yet so far.

"Sir!" One of the Marines ran over to Lorne. "We found two boats. I think they can hold everyone."

Lorne trotted over to where the Marines had discovered two fat rowboats hidden behind a pile of rocks. They were distinctly Viking in design, and Lorne was relieved to see some paddles inside.

He pulled out his radio, signaling Sergeant Gauthier. "Sergeant, can you get a fix on our position?"

"_Yes sir. According to this, you're about one and a half klicks away. Still same trajectory. Is there a problem, sir?_"

"We've stumbled across an underground lake," Lorne explained. "I'm not sure how big it is, but it feels like we've gone deeper and I'm just checking we haven't gone off course."

"_Yes sir. Our readouts show a large hollow in the earth where you are. It's very close to us, though, sir._"

"We found some boats so we're going to try and row across it. I'll radio when we're on the other side. Lorne out."

Rejoining the group by the cavern's entrance, Lorne informed Teyla, McKay and Ronan of his plan. They looked exhausted and could only nod in agreement when he asked for their advice. Sheppard was still out cold, and Lorne was worried at the pasty complexion to his skin. Even in the dark, the Colonel seemed pale as a ghost. Lorne had no idea what sort of injuries the man had, but he knew they needed to get him back to Atlantis as soon as possible.

Piling into the two boats, they made sure that Sheppard was comfortably lying on the bottom of one of the boats, his head supported by Teyla and with McKay and Ronan on either side of him. The Marines took up the oars and in no time they were moving swiftly across the quiet lake.

Lorne estimated they had moved about half a klick when McKay suddenly squeaked in alarm.

"What is it?" Lorne hissed, his back beginning to strain from the unfamiliar pull of the oars.

"I don't think we're alone out here!" McKay said in panic, showing the Major the life signs detector.

The display lit up, showing the two blobs of dots that were the boats, and then another dot, larger than the boats, that had appeared several hundred meters away.

"What is that?" Lorne asked.

"I have no idea, but whatever it is, it's big and it's moving fast," McKay replied. "We need to get out of here."

"Full alert," Lorne shouted to the boats. "Something's out there. Could be a hostile."

The Marines moved immediately, lifting their P-90's and scanning the water at all angles.

From the darkness in front of them, Lorne heard an eerie gurgling sound, and the water splashed smoothly, revealing the presence of something moving towards them.

"Oh my God ..." McKay breathed.

The searching lights from the boats revealed a dark, leather hide slithering through the still water straight towards them, looking much like a giant serpent.

"What the hell is that?" Lorne demanded.

"This is bad," McKay fretted. "This is very, very, very bad!"

"Stay alert!" Lorne ordered.

Suddenly, a gigantic head reared itself out of the water between the two boats, followed by a long, thin neck. The creature displayed a dark, reptilian face with a long snout full of sharp teeth. The gurgling sound rumbled from its throat as it turned milky white eyes towards Lorne's boat. It bared its teeth and in a lightening quick motion snapped at the air above the men's heads, missing grabbing Lorne by a hair's breadth.

"Shoot it!" Lorne screamed.

The Marines on either side of the creature opened fire, with the red blast of Ronan's gun adding to the wounds inflicted on it. The animal roared in pain, and tiny rivulets of blood began to run down its neck where the bullets had pierced it. It's hide seemed too thick to penetrate entirely, however, as the creature seemed unfazed by its wounds. It dove down between the two boats to escape the barrage, revealing a long, snake-like body in its wake. The water sloshed dangerously between the two boats as they peered into the darkness on all sides, wondering where the animal may have gone.

For a breathless two minutes, everyone sat on the edges of their seats, rowing forgotten as they tried to pierce the darkness beyond with their lights. Ronan silently pulled the sword from his belt, handing his gun to McKay who squawked in protest.

"You lose it, I'll kill you," Ronan said.

At that moment, the ugly head of the snake appeared to the right of their boat, lunging for Teyla. Ronan gave a roar of challenge and lunged at the snake, diving over Sheppard and Teyla and latching onto the creature's head. The battling forms ducked under the water as the snake began to thrash.

Lorne recognized the danger and ordered his men to row, moving them out of the way. When they appeared to be a safe distance away, they tried to give Ronan as much light as possible, aiming their P-90's and flashlights over his way.

Somehow, the Satedan had managed to get a firm grip on the creature's head, and had started stabbing away at its eyes and mouth, trying to get a killing blow. It appeared the animal's skull was too thick for the sword to handle, and as it thrashed in the water, trying to throw Ronan off, he started whacking at its neck.

Blood showered the Satedan as he managed to hit an artery, and the creature bellowed in pain, its movements gradually starting to weaken. It rolled through the water, trying to loosen Ronan's grip as it held him underwater, but he kept up the blows, reminding Lorne of a lumberjack as he whacked at the creature's neck with the sword.

The movements in the water began to still, and finally, Ronan let go of the snake, allowing its nearly severed head to sink as he swam back to the boats. As he pulled himself up into the boat, there was suddenly a flurry of movement in the water where the creature's body was floating, and as their lights searched out this new possible threat, Lorne saw in disbelief tiny versions of the giant creature swarming the body, tearing hunks of meat out of the raw flesh with razor-like teeth.

"Guess you got out of there in the nick of time," Lorne said to Ronan.

The Satedan grunted in reply, tucking the sword in the bottom of the boat and reclaiming his gun from McKay.

"Let's go, people!" Lorne ordered the Marines. "We need to get out of here before another one of those things shows up!"

The fear of the unknown in the water spurred the men on, and they made record time to the other side of the lake without incident.

McKay nearly cried in relief when he saw the rocky shore approaching in the dim light of the flashlights.

The Marines dug in with their oars, landing the boats and moving quickly to pull them further into the shore. A solid rock wall rose in front of them and after a quick search, it appeared there was no tunnel or opening to the shore. Instead, a narrow stone staircase was cut into the wall, leading up into a darkness so thick the flashlights could not pierce it. There was no way to tell how far it was to climb the stone wall.

Lorne sent two Marines up the stairs to scout out the area above while they tried to figure out how to carry Sheppard. Several Marines worked on tying the oars of the boats together to make a stretcher.

Teyla was worried at the man's condition. In the journey across the lake he had not awakened, and now, he was trembling, although his body was heating up, a fever bringing a flush to his pale cheeks. The wound in his side persisted on leaking bright red blood, and Lorne pursed his lips when he saw the blood, shaking his head.

"He needs a doctor, now," the Major said. "I ... I'm not sure if he's going to last for much longer."

"Just ... leave me," Sheppard rasped, struggling to open his eyes.

"John!" Teyla grabbed his hand. "We are nearly there. Not much longer now. You _must_ keep fighting."

Sheppard's eyes rolled in the back of his head and the trembling turning into a strange twitching in his limbs.

"I think he might be having a seizure," McKay said in alarm.

"What?" Lorne put his hand on the Colonel's head, searching for a wound. "Did he get hit on the head?"

"I am uncertain," Teyla said, "but it may be from the creature that we met in the Stargate's chamber. We were told it had poison in its claws, and that is what has caused the wound in John's side."

Lorne cursed, frustrated.

Suddenly, there was a shout from above, and the two Marines who had been sent up the staircase came rushing back down.

"Sir!" one of them raced up to Lorne. "We got to the top and the Stargate is just a couple hundred meters to the left of the passageway. We told Sergeant Gauthier to dial home so that we can go as soon as we're there."

"Did you ask them to have a med team ready?"

"Yes sir."

"Let's move, people!" Lorne shouted.

As gently as possible, the team laid Sheppard on the makeshift stretcher, tying him onto it using various bits of clothing. Once again, it was up to Ronan to carry the Colonel's unconscious form. Lorne took the other end of the stretcher, both men feeling it was their duty to their commander. It was hard work navigating the pilot's long limbs up the narrow passageway, and McKay fretted and stewed the entire time, complaining of heights and wondering what would happen if they fell.

The staircase was quite long, and Lorne and Ronan's arms began to tremble from the strain, but they doggedly kept up the pace until they reached the top, where they moved swiftly down the corridor towards the Stargate's chamber.

McKay had no idea how relieved he could actually feel about seeing the glorious watery surface of the Stargate, throwing light around the chamber. He had time to realize the body of the giant creature they had tangled with in their first few hours in the place was gone, before he was pushed through the event horizon by one of the Marines and sucked into the control room on Atlantis.

* * *

_Please review! I love reading your thoughts and it keeps me motivated and inspired! :-)_


	17. Rescued?

_Thank you to everyone so far for the reviews! I've had difficulty loading the most recent chapter because of power outages in my area, so my profuse apologies for that! Please keep the reviews coming! They inspire me, make me happy, and keep the next chapter coming much sooner! :-)_

_

* * *

_

A flurry of motion met the group as the last of the Marines stepped through the Stargate. Carson was trying to see to everyone, but when he saw Sheppard lying limp on Lorne and Ronan's makeshift stretcher, he immediately called a gurney over and moved the Colonel, relieving the two men of their burden.

"What happened?" Carson demanded, taking stats on the man as he began to help push the cart towards the infirmary. Teyla, McKay and Ronan stuck close to the gurney as it pushed through the halls.

"A beast clawed him in the side nearly a week ago," Teyla began.

"Looked like a minotaur," McKay added.

"The doctors there treated him but it has been a while since his dressings were changed, and it appears the wounds have reopened," Teyla continued. "I fear he has lost much blood."

"What else happened?"

"He was tortured by the Hell lady," McKay piped up. "I think she was a Wraith. We aren't sure what she did to him."

As they approached the infirmary, Carson pulled out a stethoscope and started checking the pilot's heartrate. "My God, his pulse is going a million miles an hour!"

"There may be poison in his wound," Teyla said. "We were warned that the beast had poison in its claws. I am unsure of its effects, but we were told they would be long lasting."

Carson cursed under his breath as one of the nurses slipped a BP cuff around the Colonel's arm.

"Blood pressure 180 over 110," she said.

"This doesn't make sense if you think he's bleedin' out," the doctor said. "We need to get him to the OR."

As they entered the infirmary, Teyla, McKay and Ronan were shoved to the side, helpless to watch as the med team worked on Sheppard. They could see the man's limbs beginning to twitch, his hands contorting and eyes screwed tight in pain.

"He's starting to seize!" Carson bellowed. "Where's the anesthetic?"

Sheppard's body contorted as he violently arched on the bed, limbs flailing and muscles taut. The nurses grabbed him at various points, trying to keep him from hurting himself as another nurse ran over with a syringe.

Carson grabbed the syringe and inserted it into the inside of Sheppard's arm. For a few moments it appeared as though the medication was not working, then his movements diminished into occasional twitches before subsiding altogether, his eyes rolled back in his head.

"Get his clothes off," Carson ordered. "Prep him for possible surgery. We need a full assessment of injuries."

As the nurses worked on Sheppard, they pulled the privacy curtain around his bed so his team could no longer see him. Carson sent other nurses to take care of their own injuries, and the team soon found themselves nearly alone in the infirmary when Sheppard was taken off to surgery.

A short time later, Dr. Elizabeth Weir entered the infirmary, finding the three team members engaged in quiet conversation around McKay sitting on one of the beds.

"Good to see you back," she said, leaning against McKay's bedside. "What happened out there?"

"It is a long story," Teyla sighed.

"Basically, we were captured, Sheppard was taken to do these trials by some Viking guys, nearly got himself killed, then we were rescued by Lorne and Company and we got back," McKay informed her breathlessly.

"Trials?"

"They believed that Colonel Sheppard was a part of their oracles or legends," Teyla explained. "They wished for him to complete the Trials of Odin."

"I seriously think that they were just trying to see how long it takes for someone to die," McKay said. "They put him through the wringer."

"Are you all alright?" Weir asked gently, seeing the haggard appearance of the team. They were all filthy and covered in various cuts and bruises. All could stand a long, hot bath and a good night's sleep, but none were quite willing to leave the infirmary yet.

"We're fine," Ronan grunted. "They kept us locked up. We don't really know what was going on with Sheppard."

"Is there any word from Dr. Beckett?" Teyla asked.

"I haven't heard anything yet," Weir shook her head. "We're just going to have to wait."

"Where were you?" McKay asked, suddenly.

Weir shifted, uncomfortable. She knew what he meant. The team had been missing for a week with no contact from Atlantis and no word as to whether or not they had been missed or that anyone was even looking for them.

"When you were overdue, we sent a MALP through the gate and realized the DHD was missing," she explained. "Our next idea was to send a jumper through to dial the gate but realized that there was no room for it to fit. We tried using various devices with the MALP to break open the door, but we had hardly made any headway until you communicated with us." She looked down sadly. "I'm sorry we didn't get to you sooner."

"It is fine, Dr. Weir," Teyla said gently, laying a hand on the woman's arm. "We are alive."

"And well for the most part," McKay mumbled, guilt weighing heavily on his shoulders as he thought of his CO.

All eyes turned towards the silent OR room as the team waited for news of Sheppard.

* * *

What struck Teyla the most when Carson allowed the team in to see John was how still he was as he lay on the bed in a quiet corner of the infirmary. His cuts had been cleaned, but his body was swathed in bandages, the dark skin on his arms contrasting with the stark white of the bandages around his wrists. His face was bruised and the deep cut on the side of his face had been stitched up.

The lights in the infirmary had been dimmed, and Carson joined the trio as they stood around Sheppard's bed, willing the man to wake.

"How is he?" McKay asked.

Carson shook his head. "He was injured pretty badly. His body was starting to shut down when you brought him in. I'm most concerned about the poison you said might have got into his system. At this point, all we can do is wait and hope that his body manages to fight long enough to flush it out. His pulse and blood pressure have been abnormally high. I've put him on blood thinners and we're hoping it will return to normal soon."

"How long will that take?" Ronan asked.

"I have no idea. We looked at the toxicology reports but haven't found anything conclusive yet. We have no idea how long this will take and to what extent it will affect him. The reports should come back tonight. So far, the seizures have been the worst. I imagine he's in quite a lot of pain, though. We haven't been able to wake him since he arrived. At the moment, that is what I'm most worried about. He had some bruising and lacerations but those should heal up in time."

Carson turned to the three, noting they had cleaned up and changed into fresh clothes. Minus the grime and dirt they looked much better then they did just a few hours ago.

"Did you get looked over?" he asked. "Any injuries?"

"Besides a few scrapes and bruises, we are fine," Teyla gently replied. She indicated to John. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Sit with him. Talk to him. Just let him know you're there." Carson rested his hand on John's arm, looking at the man's face. "I hate to say it, but we have to treat him as though he's a trauma patient at this point. He isn't in a coma, but his body isn't ready to face reality yet. He's been through a lot, from the sound of it. He needs to know he's safe, now."

"We will do our best," Teyla nodded.

As the good doctor left the room, Teyla, McKay and Ronan pulled up chairs around Sheppard's bed, ready to keep vigil for as long as was needed.

* * *

It was quite late at night when Teyla jerked awake, realizing she had slept in her chair. McKay and Ronan snored softly from their chairs, and she looked around the room, rubbing her eyes as she wondered what had wakened her.

Her eyes turned to John, lying still on the bed beside her, and she realized the instruments that monitored his body had heightened in frequency. His eyes were closed tightly and his hands clenched the sheets under him.

"John?" Teyla stood, reaching for one of his hands. "John, it's alright. I'm here."

He tossed his head, a groan escaping him.

Suddenly, the room around Teyla turned, throwing her into darkness as the yellow eyes of Hela gleamed from a corner of the room. Instinctively, Teyla moved between Hela and John, determined to guard the man with her life if she had to.

"Did you think I would let you escape so easily?" Hela said softly.

Suddenly, Hela vanished. The lights returned to normal, and Teyla took deep breaths, trying to lower her heartrate. She turned to John to see that he was sleeping, undisturbed. Ronan and Rodney sat in their chairs, snoring as if nothing had happened.

Had it been a dream? Were the events that had taken place less than twenty four hours ago still traumatizing her mind?

Or had Hela really been there?


	18. Complications

_Many apologies for the sporadic updates! Real life hasn't been kind lately! Please do keep up the reviews as they inspire me to write and I love reading them! :-)_

_

* * *

_

Dr. Elizabeth Weir had not told her team that she had barely slept the whole week they had been missing. Now that they were back, she knew she would get the much needed sleep her body had been longing for, and as she wrapped up the few last minute items in her office, she glanced at the clock, knowing she would be asleep in less than an hour.

As she walked out the door, an alarm from the gate room blared and the Stargate lit up, the skeleton night crew scrambling to their controls.

"Unscheduled offworld activation," one of the control members blurted into the loudspeaker.

Weir frowned, aware that there were two teams off world, neither of which were scheduled to return to Atlantis until morning. She swiftly descended the steps to the gate room floor as the surface of the Stargate whirled with light and the shield activated.

"What's going on?" she asked.

The man at the controls looked at her briefly before busily studying the readouts in front of him.

"The gate was dialed from PSG-492, Dr. Weir. We aren't receiving an IDC," he replied. "There appear to be radio waves coming through the gate but nothing with a message we can read."

"That's the world Colonel Sheppard and his team just returned from," Weir said. "The shield is intact?"

"Yes ma'am."

Suddenly, the surface of the Stargate shimmered, and Weir expected to see the resulting flash of light on the shield, indicating an object had just been incinerated, but surprisingly, a woman stepped through the gate, appearing to pass through the shield as though it did not exist.

The Marines stationed around the gate brought their guns up, aiming at the intruder, fingers tensed on the triggers and waiting for any wrong move in the woman's part. Behind them, the Stargate deactivated.

The woman did not appear to be human. In fact, if Weir didn't know any better, this woman was a Wraith. Her long dark hair reached to her waist and she was wearing dark leather clothes which set off the paleness of her skin. Yellow cat-like eyes stared at the men surrounding her and she flexed her slender fingers, the nails sharp and long.

"I have come to speak to the one called John," she finally said.

"You will speak to me instead," Weir said, coming closer to the woman, but letting the Marines do their job and staying out of her reach.

"Will your men lower their arms?" The woman cocked her head, raising an eyebrow at the weapons.

Weir shook her head. "No. You have intruded on us and we had no idea what your intentions are."

"Fair enough," the woman replied. "I am Hela."

Weir folded her arms, trying to stare down the woman in front of her.

When Hela received no reply, she continued. "I have come from Niflheim to fulfill our prophecy. Atlantis has awakened and been brought from the depths. The Jotun have come to our world, and we have seen the light which has not reached our world for generations."

"I beg your pardon," Weir replied, "but I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."

At that moment, there was a flurry of movement from the stairs, and McKay, Ronan and Teyla rushed down to join the group at the gate. Ronan swiftly drew his gun, leveling it on the woman.

"Elizabeth," Teyla said, "this woman is dangerous. I killed her myself not more than a day ago."

Weir looked the woman up and down, raising an eyebrow. "Are you Wraith?"

Hela sighed, her eyes appearing almost mournful. "I am neither Wraith nor Jotun."

"Jotun? What is that?"

"It's the word they use to mean 'human,'" McKay said. "Literally it means 'human size.'"

"She is a hybrid," Teyla said. "Her mother was a Wraith, her father was human."

"How is this possible?" Weir stared at the woman in front of her, realizing how human-like this Wraith did seem. Her skin was not quite as pale as most Wraith, and her features were more human than they were Wraith. If it weren't for her yellow, alien eyes and pointed teeth, Hela could have easily passed as a human.

"Loki did not care for who his mate would be," Hela responded. "He needed a daughter, and my mother was sufficient for him."

"How romantic," McKay coughed. Ronan jabbed him in the ribs.

"What is it that you want from us?" Weir persisted.

"I want John Sheppard," Hela stated simply.

"I'm afraid that's not possible," Weir replied.

"Without him, our world will die," Hela said.

"What makes him so special?" McKay demanded.

Hela hesitated before replying. "His blood carries the ancestry of the Ancients. It was predicted that a man would come to our world who had descended from the Ancients and who would bring light with him. The oracle also said that he would come from the Lost City and would destroy Hell in Niflheim. John Sheppard has not completed his task and his life is forfeit if he does not finish."

"What is it that he has to do that you haven't made him do already?" Weir demanded.

"He defeated the Minotaur, he killed Garmr, but he has not yet defeated Fenrir. He must show that he is not only strong of body, but strong of mind as well."

"How does this save your world?"

Again, Hela hesitated before replying. "My people must believe that Atlantis has risen."

"And by passing this test he can prove that?"

"Yes."

"Why not bring them here?" Weir asked. "You've seen with your own eyes that Atlantis exists. Will they not believe you?"

"My people have been banished to Niflheim by Loki. They may never leave their world or see the light of day until the Lost City has risen and the One who has been sent passes the Trials of Odin."

Frustrated by Hela's answers, Weir decided she had had enough.

"We need to discuss this amongst ourselves," she said to Hela. "Please allow yourself to be escorted by my men."

Surprisingly, Hela complied, tipping her head and giving Weir a small smile. "Of course."

Warily, the Marines led her away and Weir turned to her team. "Briefing room. Now."

Rodney stopped himself from rolling his eyes. The briefing that was supposed to take place the next morning was definitely happening now.

As Telya, Ronan and McKay filed into the briefing room, they were joined by a breathless Major Lorne who looked as though he had just been awakened, smoothing back damp hair and straightening his crumpled uniform.

The doors closed behind them and Weir placed her hands on the table, her expression furious. "What the _hell_ is going on here? How did that ... _woman_ get through the gate shield?"

"Elizabeth," McKay raised his hand. "I think I can explain." He tapped at his computer, pulling up a complicated set of graphs. "I did some quick scans when she showed up. She's wearing a body shield like the one we discovered a few years back. It looks like hers is a special one designed to penetrate just about anything. She might even be able to walk through a solid wall. The good thing is, the thing is using up a lot of power. Enough that it might run out within the next few hours if she isn't careful."

"What is she doing here?" Weir asked.

"Sheppard was supposed to complete the Trials of Odin," Ronan said. "Sounds like she wants him to do that."

"The Trials of Odin?" Weir tapped the table thoughtfully. "Sounds familiar." She pulled McKay's laptop towards her and accessed the SGC database, typing furiously, scanning a few documents, then looking up at the team, and eyebrow raised. "Odin was rumored to be one of the Asgard, but we never met him."

"It could be he was one of the Ancients," Teyla offered. "The people of Niflheim seemed to think he was very important."

"And who is this Loki person? If everything she has said is true, we've stumbled across our first natural hybrid between a Wraith and a human!"

"I think she might be telling the truth, there," McKay said. "She does have the features of a Wraith, but I didn't notice any feeding marks on her hands, and her people don't live in fear of her."

"How did she heal herself, then?" Teyla asked. "The wound I inflicted on her would have killed any other person, yet she appears quite healthy."

"I'm not sure." McKay looked at a loss. "We don't really understand the whole hybrid thing, though. It could be she's like a super human. If this were the case, the military would love to get their hands on her."

"_Nobody_ is getting their hands on anybody!" Weir instructed. "This woman is dangerous, and we will treat her as so until we find otherwise. What can you tell me about PSG-492?"

"Niflheim. I think it's a Viking outpost," McKay said. "I'm not sure how they got there, but the culture is distinctly Norse. The people are quite small. Not dwarf-like, but shorter than normal. The normal sized ones, like Fayne and Reginn, seemed to be the ones leading the place. In Viking culture, it was the strongest and best warriors that led the people. It could have been a perfectly normal place to explore and make contact, but these guys seemed very superstitious, not to mention the fact that the place was swarming in monsters."

"Monsters?" Weir raised an eyebrow.

McKay sighed dramatically. "It'll be in all of our reports."

"We need to speak to Hela," Teyla said. "She has come for John, and it may very well be that she will not leave without him."

"Any solutions for that?" Weir asked, suddenly very tired.

The group looked at each other silently.

"That's what I thought." Weir walked to the door. "Major Lorne, would you please send for a military escort? Bring Hela to the briefing room. We need to deal with this before she decides to take matters into her own hands."

* * *

Sheppard was in a state between awake and asleep, and all he was really aware of for quite some time was the worst headache he had ever experienced in his life. He had been through a few concussions and hangovers, but nothing compared to this. Absolute, sheer agony. Not to mention the various aches and pains throughout his body to add to the headache's severity.

After a time, he tried opening his eyes, thankful to realize the room he was lying in was dark enough not to affect his sensitive eyes. The familiar walls of the Atlantis infirmary surrounded him, and with relief, he realized he had somehow made it back home.

Briefly, he wondered how long he had been there when he became aware of the fact that he wasn't alone. A shadow shifted along the dark wall next to him, and with horror, Sheppard saw Hela materialize out of the darkness, coming to stand next to his bed. He swallowed, trying to get enough saliva into his dry mouth to shout for help.

"Do not waste your strength," Hela said. "No one will hear you."

For a moment, Sheppard wondered if he was dreaming, his tired brain bringing on hallucinations. Then Hela leaned forward, placing cool hands on either side of his head, and the pain that had been present so sharply before, intensified to the point where he could no longer hold back a scream.


	19. Mind Games

_AN: I'm very sorry for not updating sooner! My internet has been whacked lately and I've had a hard time uploading. Hope you are still reading and please do review! It makes my day!_

_

* * *

_

Carson stood with the Marines next to the holding cell, arms folded and staring down at Hela with perplexity. The woman was sitting cross legged on the floor of the cell, her eyes closed and hands folded in her lap. No matter what anyone had tried to do, the woman would not be moved, nor would she be wakened. It was almost as if she were in a coma.

A few moments later, Weir entered the room, followed by McKay, Teyla, Ronan and Lorne.

"What's going on, Carson?" Weir asked, hands on her hips as she looked down at Hela.

"It's the damnedest thing, Elizabeth," Carson shook his head. "I can't seem to wake her."

"Is the shield still intact?" Ronan asked.

McKay had pulled out his laptop and confirmed his readings. "Definitely. Still going strong, but looks like it won't last too much longer."

"Estimations?" Weir asked.

"I would say tops maybe three hours."

Suddenly, Carson stiffened, listening to a page through his earpiece. "It's the Colonel," he said, dashing out of the room. "Something's wrong!"

Without a word, Teyla ran after him.

Weir turned to Hela. "I have a feeling this has something to do with her. Major, Ronan, please keep an eye on her and inform me if there is any change."

As Lorne and Ronan took up a post with the Marines surrounding the woman, Weir swiftly left the room.

* * *

As Teyla entered the infirmary behind Carson, she saw John convulsing on the bed, his eyes rolled back in his head and every muscle rigid. The nurses were trying to hold him to keep him from hurting himself, and one turned to Carson, despair in her eyes as he snapped on a pair of gloves.

"We tried to sedate him five minutes ago," she said. "It doesn't seem to be affecting him at all."

"John, lad, can ye hear me?" Carson put a hand on John's forehead, smoothing back his unruly hair so he could get a look in his eyes. As the brown eyes rolled and tried to focus on the doctor, John clenched his jaw, moaning and clearly in pain.

"I think he's conscious," Carson said. "How much sedative did you give him?"

The nurse showed Carson the chart and the doctor turned back to the Colonel.

"Colonel, can you hear me?"

Surprisingly, John tried to answer. "G ..." he gasped.

Concerned, Carson laid a hand on the man's jerking shoulder. "What is it, lad?"

Each word was agony for the man. "Get ... her ... out ..."

"Who?"

Suddenly, the machines around John's bed flashed, a persistent whine filling the room as the man suddenly went limp.

"He's crashed! Get the cart!" Carson roared.

Teyla stood by helplessly as the medical team worked tirelessly to save John's life. Over and over, Carson applied the electrical current to the Colonel's body, trying to coax life back into him. Over and over, Carson told himself, _just once more_. Finally, when the doctor wasn't sure they were going to revive the man, a small blip on the monitor gave him hope.

"We have a heartbeat!" he said triumphantly.

As the medical team worked to stabilize John, Teyla felt like breathing a sigh of relief. There was an air of uncertainty that made her feel hesitant about the victory, however. A chill crept over her, and she rubbed her arms briskly to warm herself. Slowly, she approached John's bed, trying to stay out of the way of the medical team. As the nurses started to disperse, Teyla reached out to touch John's hand.

A shock ran through her system as she saw Hela's face looming out of nowhere, and just as suddenly, she was gone. Teyla's insides felt as though they had turned to ice for that brief instant, and she looked down at John, suddenly realizing what the man must be going through. Immediately, she touched her earpiece and called Dr. Weir.

* * *

"I believe Hela came to Atlantis to finish the Trials of Odin," Teyla began. She had called McKay and Weir to the infirmary as soon as she was sure of her suspicions.

"How is she supposed to do that?" Weir folded her arms, trying to fight off the fatigue that was finally catching up with her.

"She is part Wraith," Teyla explained. "She must have a psychic ability. I sensed another presence with John when I was with him earlier. I believe she came here to establish a connection with John and finish the rest of the trials."

"That would explain her state in the holding cell," McKay said. "When we rescued Sheppard it looked like they were having some sort of mind meld with each other. She's probably using up a lot of her own energy if she's trying to get a connection with him again."

"How do we stop it?" Weir asked.

"I am uncertain," Teyla responded slowly. "There must be a way to force Hela to break the link. If we can do that then we should be able to help John."

"It's going to be kind of hard to force her to do anything until that shield dissipates," McKay said.

"John may not have that time," Teyla murmured. "He nearly died earlier. Imagine if we cannot bring him back again?"

"Teyla's right." Weir uncrossed her arms. "We need to stop her now. If it means killing her ... Then so be it."

Lorne, McKay and Teyla looked at Weir in shock. It was unusual for the woman to use such strong words. As a diplomat, she was always for negotiation first, action as a last resort. And never would she mention death.

Lorne touched the gun at his hip and raised an eyebrow. "What do you need us to do?"


	20. Relentless

_AN: Thanks once again for the lovely reviews! They make me very happy! Posting a little earlier than normal just because your reviews make me want to give you more ... ! Hope you enjoy! :-)_

_

* * *

_

Once again, Sheppard found himself in the swirling red sands of the dreamscape, Fenrir standing before him, more wolf-like than before.

"You've got to be kidding me," Sheppard muttered under his breath. He noted he was dressed in his black combat clothes but still seemed to be weaponless. Did Hela expect him to defeat Fenrir in this dreamscape in order to fulfill her version of the Trials of Odin, or was the universe just out to get him?

"Greetings, Jotun," Fenrir snarled, his voice much thicker and deeper sounding than the pilot remembered.

"Hi there," Sheppard said awkwardly, warily watching the crouching stance of the man. "Is there a chance we can talk this over? Negotiate like gentlemen?"

Fenrir growled, uncannily wolf-like. "You must fight, Jotun. Fight and die, or fight and kill me. That is your only way out."

With speed that Sheppard was not expecting, Fenrir flew at his throat, hands outstretched. Sheppard barely had time to bring his arm up to break the move and Fenrir was already pummeling him in the ribs, driving him back. Doubled over, Sheppard stumbled backwards, the pain sharp and his breath wheezing. He was surprised at the force of Fenrir's attack and wondered again at how realistic this dreamscape was, down to the hitch in his side that told him he was going to have some serious bruising.

Fenrir did not relent in his attack, however, and with a powerful uppercut, he snapped Sheppard's head back, flipping him flat out on his back before pouncing on him and sending blow after blow to the pilot's head.

The furious attack had only lasted a minute, but Sheppard didn't feel like he had a moment to recover, too stunned from Fenrir's first move to think. Dumbly, he acted on instinct, trying to grab the man's wrists and stop the blows to his head. He was beginning to see stars and his vision was going blurry. A sluggish part of his brain told him if he lost consciousness he was done for, and Sheppard managed to get a grip on Fenrir's collar, pushing the man to the side enough for him to move and roll awkwardly to his knees. Blood was dripping into his eyes from a wound that had opened when Fenrir had a go at his face, and Sheppard wiped at it, trying to clear his vision.

Giving him no mercy, Fenrir tackled Sheppard, his shoulder smashing into the Colonel's hips and driving him back to the ground. Sheppard landed on his backside again, feeling a painful twinge in one of his hip bones. This time, Sheppard was determined not to let the wolf-man get the advantage. Kicking up with his knees, he ignored the pain that was licking its way through his body and managed to keep Fenrir from gaining the advantage on top of him by pushing the man away, his feet against his chest. Fenrir staggered, nearly falling, but catching himself neatly and returning to his attack.

The man was relentless.

Sheppard managed to push himself to his feet in time to meet Fenrir's attack, bracing himself for the impact as Fenrir once again tried to tackle him. Sheppard focused, recalled his training and met the tackle with a small step to the side and a push on Fenrir's shoulder, catching the man by surprise and flipping him to the ground, reversing their previous positions. As Sheppard dropped onto Fenrir, he grunted in pain at the nerve endings protesting in his injured hip at the sudden movement. Grimly ignoring it, Sheppard managed to pin one of Fenrir's arms with his knee, ignoring the other arm as he went for Fenrir's head, hitting the man as hard as he could in the temples, trying to knock him out. The man's skull must have been made thick because Fenrir did not seem fazed by Sheppard's efforts. With a heave, Fenrir pushed him off, trying to pin him again. Sheppard rolled, and the two tumbled across the desert floor, both refusing to be pinned and neither willing to lose the fight.

Breaking the dizzying roll, Sheppard scrambled away on hands and knees, barely managing to bring himself to his feet in time to grab Fenrir's hands as the man went for his throat. The pair grappled, both equally matched in strength.

Staring into steely grey eyes, the Colonel realized this man would not stop. He would kill Sheppard or he would die trying. Fenrir's purpose was to challenge the Jotun, not negotiate. It was with that realization that Sheppard decided he needed to change tactics.

Sheppard shut down any hesitant thoughts, survival kicking in. It was time to end this.

* * *

Within an hour, Sheppard's heart had stopped three times. Carson and his team were working on the man constantly, trying their best to keep him alive. The convulsions were persistent, and the Doctor was afraid to give him anymore drugs, fearing that he had too much pumped into his system already. Nothing they tried seemed to work. The Wraith was wreaking havoc on his brain, and the EEG activity had spiked significantly within the last hour. The man's chest was heaving with exertion and his body was locked in a perpetual muscle spasm, the tendons popping out along his neck and bandaged arms.

Elizabeth and Teyla had come to the infirmary, not sure what to do to help, but wanting to be there for Sheppard as he battled the Wraith.

Watching with despair as another convulsion wracked the Colonel's body, Elizabeth touched her earpiece, calling through to Lorne.

"Major, any progress?"

There was a pause, then Lorne replied breathlessly, "_No ma'am. Dr. McKay's specifications seem to be draining the device a bit, but not significantly._"

Weir sighed, knowing the inevitable had come. "Fine. You have my permission to open fire."


	21. Angel of  Life?

_AN: Thanks to those of you still being patient and holding on despite my sporadic updates! I'm such a mean, terrible author ..._

_

* * *

_

In the holding cell, Lorne pushed the altered zat gun back into his belt, checking his P-90's ammunition. McKay had hurriedly rigged the zat gun in an attempt to disrupt the shield surrounding Hela, but it was taking far too long to do the damage that needed to be done.

"We need more like a hundred of these in order for it to work properly," McKay complained. "I just don't have the time to fix up a hundred more!"

"You want to save her?" Lorne asked, indicating the silent Wraith.

McKay shook his head, his eyes uncertain. "She's quite a find. A Wraith-human hybrid ... Who would have thought?"

"But she's killing Sheppard," Ronan said. "You know she isn't going to stop until she sees this through."

"Whatever _this_ is," McKay snapped. "What the hell is she trying to do, anyway? What's so important about these trials? Why is it that everything has to be done the hard way?"

"The Trials spell life and death for my people."

Ronan, McKay and Lorne spun around, raising their weapons as Hela opened her eyes, looking up at them.

"If John Sheppard can prove the human race is resistant to the Wraith, we have hope."

Lorne raised his hand as the Marines in the room stepped forward, their guns trained on the Wraith as she gracefully stood, her hands folded across her breast. As one, they paused, waiting for their next command.

"What do you mean?" McKay asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"For many years we have struggled to find purpose without Atlantis," Hela said, raising her chin to look at the walls around her.

Realization began to dawn on McKay. "How old are you?"

"Old enough to remember the Ancients who occupied Atlantis before you," Hela replied.

"Holy ... cow," Lorne breathed.

"What does Sheppard have to do with all of this?" McKay demanded.

"He carries the blood of the Ancients," Hela replied simply. "A few of you here carry that ancestry as well, but he was the first to come to Niflheim since Atlantis fell. As such, he must be the one to face Odin's Trials."

"What is so damn important about these trials?" McKay's frustration was nearing it's limit.

"As I have explained before, the oracle must come to pass. The people of Niflheim will only believe Atlantis has risen if John Sheppard passes the trials."

"That's stupid," Ronan huffed.

Hela raised an eyebrow. "I was left with instructions to guard Niflheim. Loki told us that the Ancients would return, but they would not be as we remembered them. They must be ... tested."

"Hence the trials," McKay prompted.

Nodding, Hela continued. "If John Sheppard passes the Trials of Odin, Niflheim would welcome you as allies."

"You have nothing to offer us," McKay scoffed. "We saw your world. A backwater planet full of crazy Norsemen with ancient beliefs."

"You did not see everything we have to offer," Hela replied. "Not everything that you experienced was true."

McKay hesitated. "What do you mean?"

Hela smiled coyly, swiftly changing topics. "John Sheppard has one last chance to prove his worth to us. If he cannot do this, he will die."

She stepped back, uncrossing her hands and holding them stiffly from her sides. "Do as you wish with me. If you kill me, he dies as well."

Closing her eyes, Hela remained unmoving and unresponsive to McKay's cry of frustration.

* * *

Teyla held one of John's hands, feeling his hot skin burning in her cool palms. He was restless, eyes tightly closed in unconsciousness, and then the seizures started again.

Carson brushed her aside, checking vitals, and then the sudden whine from the machine beside the pilot told them the worst as his body suddenly went still.

"Crash cart!" Carson bellowed.

When John's heart had stopped so many times before, Carson had ordered the machine be kept close at hand so that they were ready for when it might happen again.

As the machine charged up, Teyla whispered, "Hold on, John."

* * *

Things were definitely getting worse. Despite the dreamscape, Sheppard could feel his body tiring. Normally, a sparring match with Ronan would have him breathless in the first ten minutes, but time didn't seem to matter here. It seemed like hours since Sheppard and Fenrir had begun their hand to hand battle, and even though it was a dreamscape, Sheppard could swear the whole thing was real. Sweat drenched his body and various cuts and bruises were beginning to hinder his movements. Already, his hip had seized up and he was reduced to fighting on one leg. Anytime he placed weight on the injured leg, it collapsed beneath him and Fenrir was on him in an instant, ready for the smallest opening. It was all Sheppard could do to keep the man off of him.

All the time they had been fighting, Fenrir had backed Sheppard across the desert floor until they were at the base of a small rocky cliff, its shadow falling over the desert and giving some cooling relief from the red sun. Panting as they broke away from yet another grappling contest, Sheppard desperately scanned the rocky desert floor, looking for anything that he could use as a weapon. Fenrir took advantage of his momentary distraction and rushed towards him, driving a shoulder into his gut and slamming him against the rocky face of the cliff. The air drove out of Sheppard's lungs, and for a moment, he gaped like a fish out of water, desperate for air.

Fenrir pushed his body up against Sheppard's, pinning him to the wall as he grabbed his head and slammed it against the rocky surface. Pain exploded in the back of his skull. Again, Fenrir slammed his head against the wall, and Sheppard saw stars. A third time, Fenrir smashed his head against the wall, and Sheppard's knees went weak, white and black spots floating in his vision. There were suddenly three Fenrir's. He could feel hot blood trickling down his neck and his limbs refused to respond to his commands. Fenrir was forced to hold him up as Sheppard partially collapsed.

Through the fog that had suddenly descended in his mind, Sheppard realized he was about to die. Over and over, Fenrir slammed his head into the rocky surface, and with every blow, Sheppard drew closer to the brink. He could see the darkness hovering at the edges of his vision, waiting to take him.

At first he thought an angel had come down for him. A lyrical voice came as a faint echo from the sky above.

"_Hold on, John._"

It took a while for him to realize it was Teyla's voice. It was all he needed.

With one last surge of strength, Sheppard drove forward, sluggish, but surprising Fenrir who had thought that the pilot had finally given up.

Fenrir tripped on a rock behind him and landed on his back, Sheppard on top of him, landing blow after blow to the man's head, survival instinct driving him nearly to madness.

It took a while for Sheppard to realize that Fenrir was no longer fighting back, and he sat back, panting, the world reeling around him as he stared into Fenrir's lifeless eyes and at the growing puddle of blood beneath his head.

Had he really killed him, or had Fenrir landed on something in his fall which caused his demise?

Pushing himself off of the dead man, Sheppard lurched, the blackness finally closing in.


	22. Allies

_AN: We are nearing the end ... Many apologies for the sporadic updates. Please do read and review! I enjoy reading your thoughts and comments!_

* * *

After Hela's final declaration, Lorne had called a cease fire until they could figure out what to do next. Weir had been informed, although her verdict on Sheppard's condition was grim.

Surprisingly, they did not have long to wait. Not more than ten minutes had passed before Hela suddenly gasped, her eyes flying open in shock.

"It is finished," she murmured. Slowly, she crumpled the the floor, the shield around her body flickering.

McKay rushed into the cell, disregarding his weapon, and checked her pulse.

"She's still alive," he said.

* * *

As Carson charged up the machine at Sheppard's bedside, readying the paddles, Teyla let out a cry, grabbing the doctor's arm.

"Do not!" she said, indicating the heart monitor.

A faint blip crossed the screen. Carson stared at it, willing another. A second later, another blip appeared, then another ... And miraculously, Sheppard's heart began to beat on its own.

"Bloody hell ..." the doctor breathed.

After a frozen moment of shock, Carson began racing around the infirmary, gathering up scanners and medical supplies and dumping them on the table next to Sheppard's bed.

"What's going on?" Weir demanded, unable to hold back her curiosity any longer.

"I'm not sure," Carson replied, pulled out a stethoscope and listening to Sheppard's heart. "Somehow, his heart started on his own. It's a good thing it did. I'm not sure how much more he could take."

Sheppard lay still as death on the bed, the heart monitor blipping faintly, but steadily.

"As long as he doesn't get anymore of those bloody seizures he might be okay," Carson said, removing the stethoscope from his ears and draping it around his shoulders. "I'm going to use the scanner again just to make sure. Who knows what havoc was being caused in his brain."

"Are you saying he might have brain injuries?" Weir asked.

"It's possible," the doctor replied. "However Hela was connecting with him it had something to do with brain activity. The seizures are a good indicator of that. She was messing around something fierce in that head of his. I have no idea what he was going through. Hopefully we'll know in a few minutes how he's doing for sure."

While he spoke, Carson pulled out a scanner and began manipulating the device, passing it over Sheppard's body in regular patterns.

Weir willed the device to give them good results, taking one of Sheppard's hands and squeezing it.

* * *

From far away, Sheppard heard beeping. Instantly, he pegged it as the heart monitor and slowly opened his eyes. The bright lights of the infirmary danced in his vision and he blinked several times trying to clear his vision.

"Welcome back to the land of the living."

Sheppard looked to the chair next to his bed and saw Hela sitting there, looking quite comfortable.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, pushing himself up to a sitting position. It proved to be harder than he expected, and he hoped that he managed to hide the grimace of pain that crossed his face at the movement.

"I came to see how you were," Hela replied.

"Like a Wraith gives a rat's ass about how a human is?" Sheppard snapped.

"I am not Wraith," Hela said slowly, her eyes darkening. "My mother may have been Wraith, but that is not how I was raised. I was raised to lead my people in my father's way."

Sheppard looked around the empty infirmary. "I take it I passed?"

"You did indeed pass the Trials of Odin," Hela nodded. "You showed us you can handle yourself physically and mentally. It was all I could do to keep Fenrir fighting against you."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"As much as you believe the fight against Fenrir was physical, it was all in the mind, Colonel Sheppard," Hela said. "Fenrir is not real. The fight you had with him was not real. Many of the things you experienced on Niflheim were not real."

"What?" Sheppard managed to push himself up further on the bed.

"Niflheim is a special place, John," Hela said gently. "As much as you may think that we were determined to take you and your friends to your death, that is not the case. We wanted desperately for you to live and prove to us that Atlantis had risen. We just had to be certain, and that meant you had to suffer the full Trials of Odin. I am thankful that you _have_ survived. When I return to my people, we will discuss further how we shall ally ourselves with Atlantis."

"Ally?"

"This is not a quick process, John. The purpose of the Trials was to show us that Atlantis had indeed come and the people living within her were worthy to be our allies."

Curiosity peaked Sheppard's interest in the hybrid's words. "What do you have to offer us?"

"My people have survived the culling of the Wraith for centuries. We survive because we live underground, and also because what Wraith who do venture into Niflheim see is not what is actually there."

Realization began to dawn, and Sheppard leaned forward, studying Hela's eyes and searching for any sign of dishonesty.

"Did we see what you wanted us to see, or did we really see Niflheim?" he asked.

Hela smiled. "You saw and experienced what we wanted you to see and experience."

Rising gracefully from the chair, Hela bowed her head, placing one hand on her heart. "Thank you, Lt. Colonel John Sheppard. You have given me what I need. I will go back to my people and we will begin our preparations to aid Atlantis against the Wraith."

Turning, Hela began to head out of the infirmary, and Sheppard struggled upright, trying to untangle his legs from the blanket.

"Wait!" he called out.

Hela froze, and turned.

"Niflheim will become Atlantis' allies?" Sheppard managed to untangle himself and stood on shaky legs next to the bed.

"Events will not unfold overnight, John," Hela smiled. "These things take time. Know this. In Atlantis' greatest hour of need, Niflheim will come to your rescue. You will not hear from us before then, and do not attempt to make contact. Our Stargate will be closed to you until we deem it necessary and the time is right."

Sheppard took one uncertain step towards the hybrid, and as his legs wavered, Hela vanished from before him. He blinked in surprise, then realized the infirmary around him was rippling.

With a gasp, Sheppard felt himself falling ... and just as suddenly found hands on his arms and shoulders, and Carson's face filling his vision, a penlight flashing in his eyes.

"What ..." Sheppard flailed, disoriented, as he realized he was back in the infirmary bed.

"Settle down, Colonel," Carson said, his voice strained.

Gradually, Sheppard became aware of more faces around him. Ronan and Teyla both had a strong grip on his arms and shoulders, and he realized he was fighting them and did not know why. Panting, he relaxed, suddenly very hot and thirsty and very aware of many aches and pains shooting throughout his body.

"That's it," Carson soothed, nodding to Teyla and Ronan who relaxed their grip. "You gave us a scare, lad," he continued. "You were babbling on about Hela and Niflheim and didn't know what was going on."

Sheppard lifted a shaky hand to run through his hair, finding it soaked with sweat and sticking to his scalp. "What's going on?" he asked. "What happened?"

"Do you remember anything after we brought you back from Niflheim?" Teyla asked.

"I'm wondering if I even left," Sheppard replied.

Teyla smiled warmly. "You are back on Atlantis. Hela managed to get through our shield and followed us, telling us that you must finish the Trials of Odin."

"She put you through hell, lad," Carson said, checking a monitor next to Sheppard's bedside. "I can't tell you how many times I've had to restart your heart. You're going to be pretty sore for the next few days. Looked like she was messing around in that brain of yours, giving you seizures."

"Seizures?" Sheppard definitely didn't remember any of that. "As far as I know, Hela had me in some dreamscape. She said I had to fight Fenrir ... and then she showed up here."

"I can assure you she is locked safely away," Teyla said gently. "She has never been here, although she has managed to influence your mind despite the distance."

"She did come here," Sheppard insisted. "She told me I passed. She said that Niflheim and Atlantis would be allies."

"You also have a fever of 104 and a lot that you think has transpired probably hasn't," Carson said, pushing Sheppard back to lie against the pillows. "We need to get as many liquids into you right now as we can and get this fever to come down."

"Fever ...?" Come to think of it, he was kind of hot. And achy. And tired. Hell, he was exhausted. Maybe no one would notice if he closed his eyes for a minute ...


	23. Your Enemies are My Enemies

Alarms blaring in the gateroom woke Elizabeth Weir from her trance as she stared at her computer monitor.

"Unauthorized gate activation," the alarms intoned.

Concerned as to why the gate would be activating now, Weir hurriedly pushed herself to her feet and rushed to the main controls next door.

"What's going on?" she asked the gate technician.

"I'm not sure, ma'am." The technician rushed around, pressing buttons and looking at monitors, before looking at Weir incredulously. "Whoever activated the gate did so from inside Atlantis."

"How is that possible?"

Before the technician could reply, Ronan rushed into the control center, breathless and his gun drawn.

"She escaped," he panted. "Hela."

Weir didn't hesitate. Slamming her hand down on the citywide communication device, she said, "All military personnel to the gateroom, immediately."

After a quick word to Lorne, who raced into the gate room seconds after her orders, Weir added, "Shoot to kill."

Lorne allocated further instructions to his men and Weir noted the emergency military personnel were already stationed and ready, surrounding the gate from all angles. Ronan joined their ranks, the look in his eyes enough to tell Weir that Hela was not going to get through the gate.

Breathless, Weir waited, Lorne standing in front of her protectively as she crouched next to the main control panel. It did not take long for short fire bursts of P-90's to meet their ears as the men stationed in the corridor leading to the gate fired on Hela.

All their firepower did nothing to stop the hybrid, who appeared at the top of the stairs leading to the gate, apparently unscathed. Calmly, she walked down the steps, her intent to get the the Stargate obvious. As the Marines stationed in the room opened fire, Weir noted the flicker of the shield covering her body. Apparently, it was at full strength and Hela did not even waver as the bullets bounced off of her.

"I don't think we're going to stop her," Lorne said over his shoulder as he continued firing.

The technician at the controls shook his head when Weir gave him a questioning look.

"I can't shut the gate down," he said. "I also can't bring up the shield. Looks like she's locked us out somehow."

Making up her mind quickly, Weir put a hand on Lorne's shoulder. "Cease fire!" she ordered. It only took a few seconds for the Marines to realize what she wanted, and by that time, Hela had almost reached the flickering surface of the gate.

"Hela!" Weir called out, stepping out from behind Lorne, her hands spread to show she was weaponless.

The hybrid paused, then turned towards her.

"Your military commander, Lt. Colonel John Sheppard, is safe. He has passed the Trials of Odin and we have deemed Atlantis to be worthy of an alliance with Niflheim." She inclined her head, a sign of respect towards Weir. "You are good people," she said softly. "I have no intention of retaliating for your misunderstanding as to my true nature. Your enemies are my enemies."

With that, the hybrid stepped through into the shimmering expanse and the Stargate immediately shut down. The lights in the the main room returned to normal, and the technician checked his controls, incredulous.

"All systems normal," he reported.

Weir touched her radio. "Dr. Weir to Dr. Beckett. What is Colonel Sheppard's status?"

There was a pause, then the Scot answered, "_He's stable, Elizabeth. Mighty high fever but I think he's out of the worst of it._"

"Thank you, Carson," Weir replied. A heavy weight seemed to lift itself from her shoulders.

* * *

It had been two weeks, and Sheppard had finally been allowed to leave the infirmary. Several briefings had to be held, protocol followed, reports written, and it left the inhabitants of Atlantis just a little more confused about the Niflheim saga.

Sheppard found a quiet balcony to lean against, watching the sun rise over the ocean surrounding the city, mentally roving over the events of a few weeks ago.

He had begun to heal, although the fever that assaulted him took several days to come down. The wounds inflicted by the minotaur would take long to heal, and Carson had told him they would leave scars. He wasn't bothered by that. He had plenty of scars, and he certainly wasn't going to be entering any beauty contests in his lifetime. The wounds that would stay with him the longest, however, were definitely the mental ones. The ordeal was always the hardest thing to get over. What he and his team had been through and what Hela wanted with them would plague him for a long time.

Weir had tried to send a team through the gate shortly after Hela escaped, but true to her word, it appeared the hybrid had closed Niflheim to them and the control room could not lock onto the planet's gate.

They discussed the possibility that Hela may not have been who she said she was. A Wraith-Human hybrid? Carson took a while explaining that one, and even then it wasn't conclusive. He grumbled about the fact that the body shield had been working most of the time and he was unable to take blood and DNA samples from the hybrid to prove her lineage. Sheppard brought up a theory that maybe she was a hybrid, but maybe she also had some connection to the Ancients which would explain her mental abilities and miraculous escape with a shield that had apparently been depleted. She _had_ mentioned she was quite old, and why else would the inhabitants of Niflheim be using Odin's name? Even the mention of Loki had McKay pondering Hela's background. These were millennia old names, figures who even the Asgard talked about with awe. He knew Daniel Jackson would love to get his hands on this information, especially seeing how the Norse mythology that seemed to permeate Niflheim had somehow come to Earth. Hela _was_ the goddess of the underworld, and Fenrir and the other characters they had encountered did exist in Norse mythology back on Earth. Niflheim, the Abode of Myst, seemed to fit perfectly with the old Norse tales.

Another item that brought up much discussion was what Hela had meant by Niflheim helping Atlantis in their time of need. McKay theorized that perhaps long ago Atlantis and Niflheim were allies, which would back up Sheppard's theory that Hela was connected to or even related to the Ancients. Perhaps Niflheim knew that Atlantis had been sitting, dark and cold, for generations, and they had been told to test any who claimed to be Atlanteans to determine if they were who they claimed to be. Weir admitted that a technological wonder like Atlantis would have to be taken very seriously if it had been abandoned and people came along claiming to be its inhabitants. Atlantis was a jeweled weapon that was not to be taken lightly.

Many theories, ideas and postulations had been thrown back and forth in those meetings, with nothing really conclusive. Weir finally decided to leave it be, deeming it a waste of manpower to continue the discussions when they could prove nothing and they had no way of making contact again with Niflheim. The world happened to be covered with molten lava when the _Daedalus _made a flyby a week ago, so that ruled out any chances of them breaking into the underground world by force.

For the time being, Niflheim and its inhabitants would remain a mystery.

Sheppard sighed, feeling the slight pull of the bandages on his side and the general aches and pains throughout his body. The sun was rising quickly now, the pinks and purples on the horizon melting into a bright blue streaked with white clouds. It was a gorgeous day.

He turned from the railing to look at the spires of the city rising above him. They sparkled in the early morning light and he thought that it really was a beautiful sight.

Glancing at his watch, he saw that he had nearly ten minutes until he was on duty. Carson had agreed to "light duty" for the time being. Report writing and reading, mostly. Things that he really didn't care for. He couldn't wait to get back to more physical activity.

Sheppard strolled into the city, nodding to the various people he met in the hallways, going about their daily business. He glanced down one particular hallway that he knew led to the Stargate, and grinned to himself. It didn't matter what this galaxy threw at him or his team. The thrill of stepping through that gate each time beat anything Hela or Niflheim had to throw at him.

Stepping jauntily down the hallway, Sheppard couldn't help but whistle. On to the next adventure.

* * *

_AN: My dear readers, it is finally complete! Thank you so much for sticking with me to the end and suffering through my sporadic updates! My deepest apologies as I am sure I lost a few of you at the end who were wondering if I really was ever going to update again! :-) I do hope you enjoyed it, and again, I do appreciate constructive criticism. Let me know what you liked, what you didn't like, if I didn't explain something, if there should/shouldn't be a sequel, etc. And again, thank you for reading!_


End file.
